Kensington Palace

A residence of the Royal Family since the 17th century, Kensington Palace was the birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria and now you get the chance to venture behind the royal doors! You’ll arrive at the Palace through beautiful landscaped gardens before stepping through the entrance hall and into the plush King and Queen’s State Apartments. Here, you can soak in exceptional architecture and costumes that the royal family have worn over the centuries. Discover the story of the Stuarts and the Hanoverians royal courts, and find out what you would have worn and how you should behave and act in order to succeed in the palace’s heady environment! Designed by Sir Christopher Wren, the architect behind St Paul’s Cathedral, Kensington Palace is an elaborate palace with much to see and discover.

Crown to Couture (5th April to 29th October 2023)

Crown to Couture will see contemporary couture worn by high profile celebrities including Lizzo and Lady Gaga, displayed alongside historic costume – drawing fascinating parallels between the world of the red carpet and the world of the Royal Court in the eighteenth century.

Set to be the largest exhibition ever staged at the palace, over 200 fascinating objects will be going on display across the glittering State Apartments and intimate exhibition spaces, from some of the finest examples of 18th century court dress to iconic contemporary red carpet looks.

The King’s Gallery will be filled to the brim with stunning dress, just as it would have been over 300 years ago. It will create a connection across the centuries, demonstrating how just as the celebrities of today are on show and subject to scrutiny at public events, the fashion worn by Georgian visitors to these spaces would have been watched by throngs of onlookers and reported widely in the newspapers just as they are today.

Along with the modern looks created by some of the hottest designers of today, the exhibition will pay homage to the stunning design of the Georgian age, from the distinctive mantua to the intricately embroidered court suit. Highlights will include the Rockingham Mantua, brocaded in silver thread and silver lace trim and believed to have been worn by the wife of British Prime Minister, the 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, in the 1760s. Other historic items set to be unveiled include the world-famous Silver Tissue Gown, on loan from the Fashion Museum Bath, which will form the opening to the exhibition. A rare example of fashion worn at the court of Charles II and handmade of fine silk woven with silver thread, the gown perfectly encapsulates the origins of Georgian court culture and fashion.

Crown to Couture opens to the public on 5th April 2023 and is included in in palace admission.