Kensington Palace Gardens: The Sunken Garden, the Statue of Diana and Kensington Gardens

The palace's own gardens, from the Edwardian Sunken Garden and the Cradle Walk to the statue of Diana, Princess of Wales, and how they sit inside the royal park of Kensington Gardens.

Visit

Palace admission includes the palace gardens. Kensington Palace tickets.

Location

Around the palace, on the western side of Kensington Gardens, London W8 4PX.

Visit duration

Allow two to three hours for the palace and gardens. Plan your visit.

Garden hours

The palace gardens are open 10:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:45.

What Are Kensington Palace Gardens?

Kensington Palace Gardens are the palace's own gardens: the Sunken Garden, the Cradle Walk around it and a wildflower meadow, cared for by Historic Royal Palaces. They sit on the western edge of Kensington Gardens, the 265-acre royal park that was once the palace's private grounds and is now run by The Royal Parks.

The name causes some confusion. Kensington Palace Gardens is also a private street running beside the park from Notting Hill Gate to Kensington High Street, lined with embassies and very expensive houses and nicknamed Billionaires' Row. The street is not a visitor attraction. For the kings and queens who built the palace and its gardens, read the story of the royals who lived here.

The Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace

The Sunken Garden is the showpiece. It was laid out in 1908 on the orders of Edward VII, on the site of old potting sheds and greenhouses, and modelled on the Pond Garden at Hampton Court Palace: terraced lawns stepping down to formal flower beds and a central pond.

The garden was redesigned by Pip Morrison from 2019, and five gardeners put in more than 4,000 flowers. Forget-me-nots, Diana's favourite flower, are part of the planting, alongside roses, tulips, lavender, dahlias and sweet peas.

You look down into the garden from the Cradle Walk, an arbour of red-twigged lime trees that runs around it.

The Statue of Diana, Princess of Wales

The statue stands in the Sunken Garden. Diana's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, commissioned it in 2017, on the 20th anniversary of her death, from the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley.

They unveiled it together on 1 July 2021, which would have been her 60th birthday. The bronze shows Diana with three children around her, meant to stand for the reach of her work across generations, and a paving stone in front carries lines from a poem read at her memorial service ten years after her death.

The statue is part of the palace gardens, so it is on the same visit as the palace itself.

From Palace Grounds to Kensington Gardens

The palace gardens are what is left of a much larger royal estate. The land was once part of Henry VIII's deer chase in Hyde Park, and formal gardens were laid out after William III and Mary II moved in, in 1689. Queen Anne added the Orangery soon afterwards.

The biggest change came from Queen Caroline, from 1728. She reshaped the landscape and created the Serpentine and the formal features that The Royal Parks still looks after today. Kensington Gardens now covers 265 acres, with the Long Water, the Round Pond and the Italian Gardens.

Beyond the palace gardens, the park holds the Albert Memorial, the Peter Pan statue by the Long Water and the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground with its wooden pirate ship. It is open to everyone and joins Hyde Park on its eastern side.

More to Find Around the Palace

The Cradle Walk

The Cradle Walk is an arbour of red-twigged lime trees that runs around the Sunken Garden. It is the walk you view the garden from, looking down over the flower beds and the pond.

The wildflower meadow

The palace grounds also include a wildflower meadow of native plants. It is grown to support pollinators, a wilder contrast to the formal Sunken Garden.

Lunch overlooking the Sunken Garden

The Orangery restaurant looks out over the Sunken Garden, with indoor tables and an outdoor terrace. It is booked separately from the palace, and walk-ins may not be possible at busy times.

Kensington Palace: Admission Ticket

Highlights

Discover the historic home of the Prince and Princess of Wales and their family.

Wander through the grand State Rooms and marvel at stunning royal art and interiors.

Visit the beautifully decorated King’s State Apartments, King’s Gallery, Cupola Room, and Drawing Room.

Stroll in the serene Palace Gardens, including shaded paths and the famous Sunken Garden.

Experience over 300 years of royal history in a majestic London setting.

Seeing the Palace Gardens on Your Visit

The palace gardens are included with palace admission, and keep their own hours, 10:00 to 18:00, so you can finish your visit outside. Walk the Cradle Walk, look down on the Sunken Garden and the statue of Diana, then head out into Kensington Gardens for the Round Pond and the Long Water.

Kensington Palace Gardens: Your Questions

What are Kensington Palace Gardens?

The palace's own gardens, including the Sunken Garden, the Cradle Walk and a wildflower meadow. The name is also used by a private street of embassies and houses beside the park.

What is the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace?

An Edwardian formal garden laid out in 1908 for Edward VII, modelled on the Pond Garden at Hampton Court Palace.

Where is the statue of Diana at Kensington Palace?

In the Sunken Garden. Her sons unveiled it on 1 July 2021, on what would have been her 60th birthday.

Who made the Diana statue?

The sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley.

What are the palace gardens' opening hours?

10:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:45.

Is Kensington Palace Gardens a street?

Yes, there is also a private road of that name beside the park, lined with embassies. It is not a visitor attraction.

Are Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park the same park?

No. They are two royal parks side by side, with Kensington Gardens to the west.

Who created Kensington Gardens?

Queen Caroline shaped much of the landscape from 1728, including the Serpentine, after formal gardens were first laid out for William III and Mary II.