Kensington Palace is one of London’s most rewarding royal days out, and it is surprisingly easy to enjoy on your own. This guide covers how to get there, tickets, the highlights worth your time, and honest tips for solo travellers in their 40s and beyond.
Overview: Why Visit Kensington Palace
Set inside the leafy calm of Kensington Gardens, Kensington Palace has been a royal residence for more than 300 years and is still a working palace today. The visitor route takes in the historic State Apartments alongside changing exhibitions on royal fashion and history. It is smaller and gentler than the Tower of London, which makes it ideal for a relaxed half day.
How to Get There
The two closest Underground stations are High Street Kensington (Circle and District lines) and Queensway (Central line), each roughly a ten-minute walk to the palace. From either station you follow the paths across Kensington Gardens, which are flat, paved, and easy at a relaxed pace. If the weather is kind, that garden stroll is part of the pleasure. I walked from Queensway myself, and once you step out of the station you are strolling almost entirely through the park to reach it — I never felt the distance at all. You simply keep walking through lovely greenery, and before you know it you have arrived.
Tickets & Prices (2026)
Kensington Palace is managed by Historic Royal Palaces, and admission is by timed ticket, usually cheapest when booked online in advance. For 2026, adult entry starts from about £24.70 (a little more if you add the optional voluntary donation). Concession and child prices, plus whether a Historic Royal Palaces membership is better value for your trip, are worth checking on the official site. Note that the Orangery cafe and Kensington Gardens themselves are free to enter without a palace ticket.
Highlights Worth Your Time
The main highlights are the King’s State Apartments, reached by the dramatic King’s Staircase, together with the Jewel Room and the palace’s rotating exhibitions; for 2026 that includes The Last Princesses of Punjab. One important note for planning: the Queen’s State Apartments are closed until spring 2027 for a major re-presentation, so your visit will focus on the King’s rooms and the current displays. See the official site for the exhibitions running during your visit.
How Long to Spend
Most visitors find two to three hours comfortable for the palace interior, plus extra time for the gardens and a break at the Orangery. With the Queen’s Apartments currently closed, a focused visit can run a little shorter, so a gentle half day covers it well. After touring the apartments, the route leads you straight out into the gift shop — and it is full of genuinely tasteful pieces, so time slips away faster than you would expect.
Don’t Miss the Orangery
Right beside the palace sits the Orangery, an elegant garden pavilion that is perfect for coffee, breakfast, or a full afternoon tea. You can visit it without a palace ticket, so it works whether or not you go inside. The food itself is fairly ordinary, but the atmosphere is something you can only experience here — and it is not overly expensive, so I would happily recommend it. For prices, booking tips, and my honest review, see my full guide: The Orangery at Kensington Palace: Afternoon Tea Review, Prices & Tips (2026).
Tips for Solo Female Travellers 40+
Kensington is one of central London’s calmer, more genteel neighbourhoods, and the palace and gardens make an easy, low-stress outing on your own. Booking a timed morning slot means smaller crowds and a gentler pace, and the Orangery is a graceful place to pause solo without feeling out of place. Sensible daytime awareness is really all that is needed here. Because I had booked my slot ahead, I was able to take my time and enjoy the visit at a relaxed, unhurried pace.