PFF: Kensington Palace, London

Unused and undated.

Kensington Palace.  P.C. 1863
From a series of French prints of London c.1855
Kensington Place - a solid, domestic, brick building - was the sovereign of England's chief residence between 1689 and 1760.  During the nineteenth century its impressive gardens, laid out by Wise and later by Bridgeman, which had hitherto been closed to all but royalty an their guests, were opened to the public on Saturdays and became a fashionable venue for a promenade.

Established as the royal residence during the reign of William and Mary in1689 when William's asthma meant he had to move from Whitehall to somewhere with cleaner air.  Pollution even in those days!  It is still one of the royal palaces where various members of the royal family still live, but it is possibly best known as the palace where Diana continued to live after her divorce from Prince Charles. 

Kensington Gardens, 275 acres adjoining Hyde park, were once the private gardens to the palace.  Now features, amongst other things, the statue of Peter Pan, the Albert Memorial and the Diana Memorial Playground and Walk.

A post for Postcard Friendship Friday