The Royal Residences of Kensington Palace

Situated in the heart of Kensington Gardens, within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, Kensington Palace has been a residence for the British royal family since the 17th century. It is currently the official London residence of several royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, and Princess Eugenie alongside her husband, Jack Brooksbank. King William III and Queen Mary II commissioned Sir Christopher Wren to expand this residence around 1689, during which the King's and Queen's Apartments were created.

The palace was the favoured residence of British monarchs for the next seventy years, although the official seat of the Court was and remains at St. James's Palace, which has not been the actual royal residence in London since the 17th century. On 6 April 1710, Queen Anne and the Duchess of Marlborough had an argument in the Queen's Closet, marking an end to their friendship. Queen Anne died at Kensington Palace on 1 August 1714.

Following her death, George I spent lavishly on new royal apartments, creating the Privy Chamber, the Cupola Room, and the Withdrawing Room. He hired William Kent in 1722 to decorate these state rooms with elaborately painted trompe-l'œil ceilings and walls. The Cupola Room featured octagonal coffering in the domed ceiling painted in gold and blue, while the walls and woodwork were painted brown and gold to contrast with white marble pilasters.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons