Arcadia England
Kensington Palace - FREE orientation event
Date
January 23, 2014
This weekend we are offering all of our spring term students the opportunity to visit Kensington Palace. We hope that you are all excited about this event, but we also understand that you might not be entirely sure of what you will get to see. So, why would anybody want to visit Kensington Palace?
ROYAL RESIDENCE
Yes, Kensington Palace is the official residence of Will & Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Which means that it is now also the official residence of young Prince George. We can’t guarantee that you will bump into any royals on the trip, but you will be able to step inside and get a taste of the grandeur of their stately home.
HISTORY
As with a lot of things in London, Kensington Palace is full of fascinating history. It was built as a Jacobean mansion in 1605 and first became a royal residence in 1689 when William and Mary, joint monarchs, moved there to ease William’s asthma. On your visit you will be able to climb the King’s Staircase up to the Privy Chamber, the Cupola Room and the King’s Drawing room. Then visit the Queen’s State Apartments to learn more about the story of how the Stuart Dynasty ended. There are a couple of exhibitions too. Find out more about Queen Victoria’s life through her own words, or take a look back at royal fashion through the decades with dresses worn by the Queen and by Diana, Princess of Wales, among others.
LOCATION
Kensington Palace is situated at the west end of Hyde Park. The forecast for Saturday is NO RAIN so wrap up warm and take advantage of the space around you. First, there are the palace gardens themselves. Stroll along the wiggly walk and gaze at Princess Louise’s statue of her mother, Queen Victoria. Then when you have taken all that you can from your visit to the Palace, and when you have stopped for some refreshments in the café, take a stroll around Hyde Park. There is plenty for you to see there too.
You should all have received an itinerary for this event. If you did not then please let us know. We look forward to seeing you there.