Once the home of famous Kings and Queens, the Palace is a most impressive tourist attraction. The palace was the official residence of Princess Diana of Wales until her tragic death. Today the 17th century spectacular residence is now home to royalty such as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. If you do visit, you can see The Kings gallery, a gallery designed by William Kent to contain the cream of the Royal Collection, the Kings staircase, all painted with life sized portrayals of the court of George I and its various characters, or the sunken garden, whose energetic colours and exotic planting are on display from April to October when the garden is at its finest.

Kensington Palace is closed until end March 2012 while it undergoes a huge transformation. When it is re-opened, you can explore four newly designed visitor routes which will reveal the public and secret lives of the palaces former residents. Be the first to experience the Victoria Revealed exhibition which will explore the reign and personal life of Queen Victoria, in her own words. Clothing, paintings and sculpture belong to Queen Victoria herself (who was after all the longest reigning monarch).

And from this year a new and incredible exhibition dedicated to Princess Diana will be available for public viewing with a very special collection of her dresses on display alongside fashion illustrations and photographs set in an elegant and theatrical setting.

The nearest Tube Station is Kensington High Street which is on the Circle and District Lines and hotels near Kensington Palace include The Royal Garden Hotel to the west of Hyde Park or The Milestone Hotel, a 5 Star hotel located in Kensington itself.