2. KEW PALACE
The summer home of King George III, Kew Palace is one of the lesser known royal
residences in London and is the oldest building within the Gardens.
It was constructed in 1631 for a Flemish merchant, Samuel Fortrey.
3. KEW PALACE
About 100 years later, it was leased by Queen Caroline and subsequently bought by
George III. He and his wife, Queen Charlotte, spent happy summers at Kew Palace
with their 15 children . After Queen Charlotte died in 1818, Kew Palace was closed up.
4. KEW PALACE
It remained unoccupied until 1898, when Queen Victoria – who did not care for the
property – transferred it, along with Queen Charlotte’s Cottage, to Kew Gardens to
allow it to be opened to the public. It remained open to the public until 1996, when it
was closed for a ten year restoration. On 21 April 2006, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated
her 80th birthday there with a lavish dinner and several days later it was re-opened to
the public.
5. KEW PALACE
Today, admission to Kew Palace, the nearby Royal Kitchens and Queen Charlotte’s
Cottage, is included in the cost of entry to Kew Gardens. The Palace and other royal
buildings at Kew are only open during the summer months – from Easter to the last
weekend in September.
