Kensington Palace in London has been a residence for the Royal family since 1689 when King William III and Queen Mary II bought it for the King’s health, seeking cleaner air. More recently, it was home to Queen Victoria and Princess Diana. I met an old friend, and we decided to explore Kensington Palace, located just off Kensington High Street and on the edge of Kensington Gardens.

Although I grew up in London, I now find that there are many wonderful places I never noticed while living there, and Kensington Palace is one of them. I enjoy playing tourist in my hometown and recommend Kensington Palace for its beautiful State apartments, which are manageable in size and brought to life by various exhibitions. Despite the freezing weather, the Palace and its surrounding park had a peaceful atmosphere, away from the busy shopping area nearby.

If you love clothes and fashion, you’ll enjoy the first room, which features a cabinet with several dresses that Princess Diana wore on state occasions. Many of these dresses are instantly recognizable from press photos. The dresses were simply displayed, and I wished they had shown photos of the Princess wearing them instead of having to look at books in the gift shop. Although the dresses were beautiful, we realized that it was Princess Diana’s natural sparkle and personality that brought them to life.

Normally, the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection is on display, but it was closed during our visit, as was the small exhibition about The Last Debutantes. We walked around the state rooms, beautifully painted and decorated in the 17th-century style when the Palace was home to King William and Queen Anne. Many rooms were small and cozy, set up as if ready for a game of cards or a quiet read by the fire, offering privacy from the bustle of court.

We later passed through the apartments used by Queen Victoria during her childhood with her mother, the Duchess of Kent. This included her bedroom, where she was awoken on June 20, 1837, to be told that her uncle, King William IV, had died and she was now Queen.

As we continued through the apartments, we encountered a lady in costume by the window. She was waiting to tell us about the Palace, and we found out she was portraying Sarah, Countess of Marlborough. She explained that her mistress Mary was the sister of the Queen, and they were best friends, waiting for King William III to die so her mistress could become Queen. Sarah married John Churchill for love, and partly due to her influence, he was given the title Duke of Marlborough after his success at the Battle of Blenheim. However, in 1710, she and Queen Mary had a terrible quarrel at Kensington Palace and never met again.

In reality, we were talking to Annie, a re-enactor who had just completed her PhD studying the food and society of this period. She also sometimes works at Hampton Court and was so enthusiastic about the history of the Palace and the period that it really brought it to life for us, more than reading a guidebook could do. Annie even explained the intricacies of the clothes she was wearing and the differences between the corsets of that era and the more curvy ones worn by the Victorians. As a mother with a little girl approached, we stepped aside, thinking the daughter would learn more about this interesting character in costume. But all she asked was where the bathrooms were – what a missed opportunity! Annie later told us that the most common questions she gets are ‘Where are the bathrooms?’ and ‘Are you hot/cold in that costume?’

We couldn’t leave Kensington Palace without having tea in the nearby Orangery, built in the 18th century and now serving breakfast, lunch, and tea in elegant surroundings. It’s very popular in summer, and you may have to queue, but we had both lunch and tea there and enjoyed it immensely. The staff were very pleasant and welcoming, although my Debutante’s afternoon tea was a bit disappointing as it consisted of tiny sandwiches and snacks, leaving me feeling I could have eaten it all again in a few mouthfuls. My friend observed that perhaps those Debutantes had to watch what they ate to keep their figure. Everyone else around us was having the Signature Orange Tea, which looked much nicer with a large scone with cream and jam, two cakes, and some sandwiches presented on a small cake stand. That’s what I’d recommend you try.

I’ll definitely be back to take my daughter around Kensington Palace, especially since we both love fashion. I’m hoping the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection will be open when we visit.