Here are some facts about Kensington Palace.
- Kensington Palace is a Royal residence in Kensington Gardens in London, England.
- It has been owned by the Royal Family since the 17th century.
- The palace was built in 1605 by Sir George Coppin.
- In 1619 the building was purchased by the first Earl of Nottingham and called Nottingham House.
- In 1689 Nottingham House was bought by King William III and Queen Mary II.
- William and Mary had the famous architect, Christopher Wren, extend the mansion, and Queen Anne had him make additional changes during her reign.
- During the Blitz in World War 2, Kensington Palace was badly damaged.
- Prince William and Prince Harry were raised in Kensington Palace, and it remained the official residence of Princess Diana until her death in 1997.
- Following Lady Diana’s death, more than 1 million bouquets of flowers were placed by the public outside the gates of Kensington Palace.
- At the time of writing, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry have apartments in the palace.
- Approximately half of Kensington Palace has been divided into apartments for members of the Royal Family. the other sections of the building are open to the public as a tourist attraction.
- The ghost of King George II is said to haunt the palace.
- The Beatles often attended parties thrown by Princess Margaret when she was living in Kensington Palace.
- Queen Victoria was born in Kensington Palace. She met her husband, Prince Albert, in the building too.
- George II was the last ruling King or Queen to live in Kensington Palace. Following the end of his reign, monarchs made Buckingham Palace their home.
- From 1911 to 1914, the London Museum was temporarily based in Kensington Palace.
What next? Find out more about some of the other palaces in the UK – Hampton Court Palace, Blenheim Palace, Richmond Palace.