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Quick overview

  • Access: Included with Kensington Palace Tickets
  • Separate ticket: Not required
  • When you'll see it: Early to midway through the palace route
  • Visit duration: 30–60 mins
  • Best time: Opening hours on weekdays for a quieter experience
  • Restrictions: Large bags, suitcases, and rolling luggage are not permitted inside the palace.
Kensington Palace facade with manicured gardens, London.

Kensington Palace State Apartments are included with all valid Kensington Palace Tickets. No separate ticket is needed. They sit near the start of the palace route, and most visitors reach the King’s and Queen’s apartments in the first half of the visit before moving on to exhibitions and the gardens. Book a standard timed-entry ticket with the included audioguide, or use a city pass or combo if Kensington Palace is one stop on a bigger London plan.

How to best experience Kensington Palace State Apartments

Best tickets to experience Kensington Palace State Apartments

Ticket typeWhy choose it
Standard palace entry

Best if the State Apartments are your main focus. Explore the King's and Queen's State Apartments at your own pace while discovering the palace's collections, architecture, and historic interiors.

Combo ticket

Best for pairing the State Apartments with another major London attraction, such as the Tower of London, London Eye, Kew Gardens, or Frameless, while saving on individual admission costs.

3 Palace Pass

Best for visitors planning to explore several London attractions or royal residences. These passes include Kensington Palace as part of a broader sightseeing itinerary, offering flexibility and value.

Afternoon tea experience

Best for those looking to complement their palace visit with a quintessentially British experience. Enjoy a guided walk through Kensington Gardens followed by afternoon tea in a royal setting.

Why it’s worth seeing

The State Apartments are the clearest expression of how Kensington Palace turned royalty into daily theater. Most visitors don’t realize these rooms were designed not just for living, but for being seen — staircase, gallery, doorway, and ceiling all work together to stage rank and access. If you know where to pause, the route stops feeling like a sequence of pretty rooms and starts reading like court politics in architectural form.

Historical & cultural significance

The State Apartments were built to project monarchy as much as house it. After William III and Mary II moved to Kensington in 1689, Christopher Wren transformed an earlier mansion into ceremonial rooms that signaled rank, stability, and access at court. Later royal generations, including Queen Victoria, gave the palace a more personal layer, so these rooms now connect public performance with private royal life inside a still-relevant royal estate.

​👉 About Kensington Palace

Notable figures

Know before you go

  • Open: Wednesday–Sunday, 10am–6pm on most standard opening days.
  • Last entry: 5pm.
  • Closed: Usually Monday and Tuesday, plus December 24–26.
  • Entry system: Timed-entry booking is standard, and you’ll usually choose a 30-minute arrival window.
  • Official site: Check the latest opening calendar before visiting: Historic Royal Palaces – Kensington Palace

Address: Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens, London W8 4PX.

  • Nearest metro: High Street Kensington, around a 5–7 minute walk; Queensway, around a 10-minute walk.
  • Bus routes: 70, 94, 148, and 390 stop near the palace approach.
  • Entry point: Use the main visitor entrance on the south side of the palace.
  • Position in route: The State Apartments are reached in the first half of the indoor visit.
  • Direct access: No separate entrance exists; you must enter through Kensington Palace first.
  • Wheelchair access: Public visitor floors are wheelchair accessible, with lift access through the palace.
  • Prams/strollers: The palace route is pram/stroller accessible.
  • Carer policy: Disabled visitors can bring an accompanying carer free of charge.
  • Assistance dogs: Guide dogs are welcome.
  • Low lighting: Many rooms use low-level lighting, which may be difficult for some visitors with visual impairments.
  • Audioguide: Audio guide support includes British Sign Language, and devices are available from the Hub next to the ticket scanning desk.
  • Food and drink: Food, beverages, and alcohol are not allowed inside the palace rooms.
  • Large items: Suitcases, large bags, and rolling luggage are not permitted.
  • Photography: Personal photography is generally allowed unless room signage or a temporary exhibition states otherwise.
  • Audioguide pickup: Physical audioguide handout is first-come, first-served and closes at 3pm.
  • Facilities: Free Wi-Fi, restrooms, and a café are available on-site.

Frequently asked questions about Kensington Palace State Apartments tickets

Yes. Entry to the State Apartments is included with every valid Kensington Palace ticket. No separate ticket exists.

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