Kensington Palace: Who lives at the royal residence and what is it really like inside?

Some of the most senior members of the royal family have called the palace home, including Princess Diana

Kensington Palace has been home to some of the most senior members of the royal family over the years, including the Princess of Wales.

On Friday, it was announced that a new statue of Diana, which has been commissioned by the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex, will be placed in the Sunken Garden of the royal residence.

The sculpture, which has been created by renowned artist Ian Rank-Broadley, will be installed on 1 July 2021, what would have been the Princess’s 60th birthday.

“Our mother touched so many lives,” Prince William and Prince Harry said in a statement. “We hope the statue will help all those who visit Kensington Palace to reflect on her life and her legacy.”

The palace’s most recent residents are the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who live in an “apartment” with their three young children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

But, does anyone else live there with them and what does it really look like inside? Here is everything you need to know.

Where is Kensington Palace?

Situated just next to Hyde Park, the palace can be found in the centre of Kensington Gardens, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

It is just minutes away from Buckingham Palace and St. James’s Palace.

Who currently lives at Kensington Palace?

The most senior royals living in Kensington Palace today are Prince William and Kate Middleton, who first moved there in 2013.

At first, the two lived in the cosy Nottingham Cottage (Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s former home, too), but eventually they moved into the spacious Apartment 1A, which used to belong to Princess Margaret.

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But, don’t be fooled by the deceptive name as, according to experts, the residence is not how many would imagine a flat or apartment.

Speaking about the Cambridge family home on True Royalty's Royal Beat, royal author Christopher Warwick said: “It has 20 rooms from the basement to the attic, it is not a small house.

“All of these royal residences at Kensington Palace are called apartments, which of course makes people immediately think they are flats like the American term for an apartment. They are not.”

Among its 20 rooms, the apartment features five reception rooms, three master bedrooms and two nurseries.

The couple spent £4.5 million renovating the apartment, however royal aides have said the cost of internal furnishings, including a new kitchen, had been met “privately” by the duke and duchess.

The Cambridges aren't the only royals who live at the palace. Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank moved to Ivy Cottage just before their wedding last year, while the Prince and Princess Michael of Kent call Apartment 10 their home.

Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent also lives in Kensington Palace’s Wren House with his wife, Katharine.

Which other members of the royal family have lived there?

Some of the palace’s most recent royal residents were Harry and Meghan who lived in Nottingham Cottage before moving to Windsor and then Canada and LA - the property was where the couple got engaged while “cooking a roast chicken”.

Prior to that, Prince Charles moved in with Princess Diana after they were married. The princess continued to live in the palace after their divorce, until her death in 1997.

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Princess Margaret and her husband, the Earl of Snowdon also moved into the palace in the 1960s.

Queen Victoria was born and christened in the palace in 1819, and she saved the dilapidated property from being destroyed years after she moved out.

The palace’s first royal residents were King William and Queen Mary, who purchased the Jacobean mansion, then called Nottingham House, in 1689 for £20,000 (about £4 million today).

Is the palace open to the public?

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Parts of Kensington Palace are open to the public from Monday to Sunday.

The royal residence was forced to close in recent months due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but it finally reopened to visitors on 30 July.

Included in the price of a ticket price (£15.30 for adults and £7.60 for children), are various exhibitions, including one of Princess Diana’s wardrobe. You can also explore the King’s State Apartments and the King’s Gallery, as well as parts of the gardens.

You can purchase tickets here. Members of the Historic Royal Palaces go free.

What is it like inside Kensington Palace?

Members of the public are unable to have a sneak peek inside the private areas of the palace but a number of press photos taken inside the residents have given royal fans a glimpse of the decor.

During former President Barack Obama’s visit to the home in 2016, alongside his wife Michelle and Prince Harry, the public was given some insight into the Cambridge’s living room.

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The room is decorated with cream walls and matching carpets, as well as various gold and floral cushions. Furniture includes two cream sofas, and a selection of green and cream armchairs with metallic gold frames.

On one wall, there is an open bookcase, on top of which there are three lamps, and there are three further side tables on opposite walls.

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s engagement photocall back in November 2017 also gave the world a rare peek into the private gardens of Kensington Palace, specifically, the Sunken Garden where Diana’s statue is due to be installed.

The images showed an impressive pond, manicured lawns and an abundance of plants and flowers.