Kensington Palace

I think Kensington palace is best known to be the home of the younger British Royals, but part of it is open to the public. Visitors enter through the Kensington Gardens, which link to Hyde Park, and have their choice of seeing an exhibit on Diana, William III, and Queen Victoria. It doesn't take long to see all three. I think my favourite of the three exhibits was the fashion of Diana. It walks visitors through some of her most famous pieces and through the displays you can get a sense of how the princess grew from a kindergarten teacher into the People's Princess. The Victoria Exhibit is not as large as I thought it would be, but it touches on some of the most famous moments from the Queen's life including her Coronation at a young age, her love for her first cousin and later husband Albert, and then his death, and the marriage of her son Albert. I think Queen Victoria is probably one of the most understood monarchs due to her journal keeping. Her diaries are accessible to the public online and give historians a real understanding of how she felt about becoming queen so young, as well as her constant pregnancies. I found it interesting that there was such an exhibit in Kensington Palace, even though Victoria hated living there, she was trapped there for most of her childhood and was never allowed to be alone, for fear of her injury or death.

I think I like gardens of Kensington more than I like the inside. They are immense and beautiful, especially on a sunny day. There are so many palaces around London that have had an impact based on who has lived or currently lives there. THey become a symbol. Buckingham is a symbol of the monarchy today, as well as Kensington. Hampton Court is a symbol of a time of unity and great change. Dover is a symbol of strength and military power. Each of these grand places has helped shape the British identity. The monarchs of the past, and present have had instrumental roles in the creation of the United Kingdom and the identities that have come out of this country. Each monarch has left their mark, be it well remembered or not at all, and they've each contributed to what it is to be British.