0845 49 69 531
Kensington Palace Tour & Tea at The Ritz
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Princess Margaret lived at Kensington Palace until her death in February 2002 anot long thereafter and the principal rooms of Princess Margaret’s former home were opened to the public.
Kensington Palace has been a royal residence since the 17th century. Set in Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, it was originally a private country house. The building was acquired by William III and Mary II in 1689 and was adapted for royal residence by Sir Christopher Wren. For the next 70 years the palace played host to the courts of William and Mary, Queen Anne, George I and George II. In the 19th century Kensington was the birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria
The Princess of Wales lived at Apartment 8 Kensington Palace from the time of her wedding on 29 July 1981 until her death on 31 August 1997. Many photos of the Princess show her at home at the palace.
Diana, Fashion & Style Exhibition
This new exhibition at Kensington Palace focuses on the development of the Princess’s style from the romantic ruffles of the early 1980s to the sophisticated silhouette of the mid 1990s. The dresses include an early evening dress by Donald Campbell from 1983 and a little black dress from 1995 by Gianni Versace. Many of the dresses on display were designed by Diana’s favourite couturier, Catherine Walker.
The Last Debutantes Exhibition
Kensington Palace will take visitors on a journey into the glamorous and alluring world of the debutante with a new exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of the last court presentations.
Fashionable afternoon dresses and ball gowns, including stunning examples of couture by Christian Dior & Pierre Balmain, as well as accessories worn by some of the ‘debs’ during the final Season of 1958 will be displayed in this multimedia exhibition which tells their stories against the backdrop of dramatic social change that heralded the arrival of the swinging sixties.
Visitors will experience the bewildering rules of etiquette, dizzying schedule of presentations, cocktail parties and dances and they will have the chance to be schooled in the art of the perfect curtsey.
The glamorous gowns of some of the last ‘debs’ will be displayed alongside
photographs and personal memories, creating an evocative multimedia experience.
The exhibition will capture the spirit of a world in transition in which the status of the upper classes became a subject of fierce debate. With the diminishing spectre of world war, independence in the colonies and cultural revolution around the corner, the debutantes’ days were numbered.
Against a mix of ceremony and indulgence, the exhibition illustrates the social unrest, political activism and teenage culture that set the scene of change in Britain during the summer of 1958: the year of the last debutantes.
Tea at The Ritz
TEA AT THE RITZ is an institution in itself. For the public there is up to a 12 week waiting list for reservations, but through our Personal Concierge Service we're able to secure you a table at short notice. Served in the spectacular Palm Court, a choice of several varieties of tea, finely cut sandwiches, freshly baked scones, jam and clotted cream and a range of delicate pastries, combine to make for an unforgettable afternoon.
Your chauffeur will collect you after lunch and drive you in comfort to your destination.
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