Windsor Castle vs Kensington Palace

The Crown Jewels are in the Tower of London ( unless they’ve been moved elsewhere after their use for the Kings coronation )

I found Kensington Palace boring.

Well the Queen is buried at Windsor.

Haven’t you used www.tfl.gov.uk as previously suggested to “ get around “ London?

Research the Windsor castle website. It contains intel about how to get there via public transport.

Are you visiting the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels?

Windsor - https://www.rct.uk/visit/windsor-castle

Kensington Palace - https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/

Reviews:

Windsor Castle - https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g186419-d216438-Reviews-Windsor_Castle-Windsor_Windsor_and_Maidenhead_Berkshire_England.html

Kennsington Palace - https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g186338-d187550-Reviews-Kensington_Palace-London_England.html

I believe I was the one who posted that Windsor is "better". I have not seen the current exhibit at Kennsington Palace - Crown to Couture. The link above does mention jewelry as part of the special exhibit, but I can't comment. Many of the above reviews are less than glowing for Kennsington, including the current exhibit.

I think you are the only one that can make the decision. I would review the first two links, compare, and then take a look at current reviews. You will probably have a decent picture of what to expect.

As far as myself, I avoided (at the suggestion of London based colleagues) Kennsington for years in favor of other stops for my "touristing" time. I finally visited last fall - and was extremely disappointed. I have studied much British history in quite a lot of detail, but even with that background knowledge, I found the Palace exhibits flat and uninteresting. (As I said, the current Crown to Couture exhibit was not on display, so my experience wouldn't replicate a current visit.)

Editing to add - I am also a lover of jewelry and know something about it. I would not risk a return to Kennsington Palace to see the current exhibit of Crown to Couture. I can't believe the jewelry portion would be that spectacular. (I could well be wrong - just my take on what I would personally do!)

Another edit - Your Daughter might enjoy the jewelry displays at the Victoria and Albert Museum if that isn't part of your plans. Free!! And, an exhibit area that I have visited on many occasions and will still return to!

Agree Kensington not that interesting, but we did enjoy the afternoon tea there!

If you haven't been to Windsor-it is amazing.

I'm not a royal watcher but the ceiling pantings, rooms and history of the castle and grounds were very interesting as was the view. Plus exploring Windsor an Eton is a nice day out of London if weather cooperates.

I am not familiar with your entire itinerary.
If you are leaving out of Heathrow airport, I'd consider taking the train from London to Windsor, staying at a hotel in Windsor your last night, and going to Windsor Castle while you are there.
The next morning, you can call a cab to take you the very short distance to Heathrow. This idea only works if you are flying out of Heathrow.
This saves you the trip back into London after seeing Windsor Castle.

I like Windsor better too but it’s a castle and on a much larger and magnificent scale than Kensington Palace.

The plus about Kensington Palace is that it’s in London and easy/quick to get to. Windsor Castle takes 3/4 of a day to get there/back, tour, have a bite to eat, etc.

To me it also depends on the shape of the rest of your trip. Are you only spending a few days in London? If this is your only flex day you may want to put Windsor Castle at the top of the list to do next time. Since you haven’t seen Windsor recently Kensington Palace might not be as much of a disappointment.

Hands down, Windsor is the gotta do. For starters is its nearly 1000-year history as the largest, oldest inhabited castle in the world. Kensington is about 600 years younger, is essentially an expanded mansion versus a fortification, and hasn't really been a residence of a reigning monarch since George II. Add fascinating St. George's Chapel - 11 former sovereigns are buried there along with a plethora of queens, consorts, princes, princesses and other royals - and it's quite a thing.

All of the above points in favor of Windsor Castle, but it also has Queen Mary’s Doll House there, which is amazing! I think that alone is worth it. And I think your daughter might be impressed. https://www.rct.uk/collection/themes/Trails/queen-marys-dolls-house#/

Kensington is more of a museum, whereas Windsor is an actual home occupied by more recent royals. Kensington would not be on my top 15 list of sights in London.

Kensington Palace is interesting to me as the birthplace of and for many years the prime residence of Queen Victoria when she was a girl and young lady. There is a large painting of the important men of the day gathering around her as she became Queen, and you are right in the same place, and it looks much the same.

I have been there for a previous exhibition of Princess Diana's jewelry and dresses and thought that it was all presented extremely well. I went back - 3 times. I am and was a member but I have to travel quite a long way to London.

It is often less crowded at Kensington Palace than at Windsor Castle - but Windsor Castle is much larger, and you only see a portion of Kensington Palace as it is still a Royal residence. Until a few years ago it was the residence of Prince William and Catherine, as they were.

The garden behind Kensington Palace, with its several levels, is beautiful in the season.

Windsor Castle is iconic - it gets much more TV time.

You just need to decide which you want to see...

Of the few rooms you get to see at Kensington Palace, one was closed the time we went. The bright spot was the temporary exhibit of Diana’s dresses. Other than that I was unimpressed, but I’ve visited a number of palaces. If it’s your first palace you might thoroughly enjoy it.

Windsor has more items to see in the rooms and is architecturally more interesting. There’s is also the chapel. The grounds are much larger than at Kensington. Windsor can get very crowded detracting from a visit.

It looks like Kensington palace still has the crown to couture exhibit. I don’t even have words to say how much I disliked this. And I really normally like fashion exhibits. But this one I thought was pathetically bad. But if you ever want to know how a social media celebrity that you probably never heard of dresses up to get attention, it’s the exhibit for you. The “jewelry” was not good either imho

People keep mentioning Diana’s dresses . That’s not what they’re showing right now.

I’d suggest going to Windsor instead I did both this summer and Windsor was a lot better .

WOW. Thank you. Wonderful information. I’m really deciding to do Windsor and planning the day.
1. Best way to get there from Tower Bridge area.
2. Only day I can manipulate is Saturday, taking a hit on Kensington tix.
3. Help!
4. Any suggestions to make the most of the day.

It seems that there are 2 good ways to get from the Tower Bridge area to Windsor Castle.

1. Take the tube from the Tower Hill Station to Waterloo Station. You would take the District Line tube from Tower Hill to Embankment, then take the Bakerloo tube from Embankment to Waterloo Station. At Waterloo Station you would take a direct Southwestern Rail train from London Waterloo to Windsor and Eton Riverside.

2. Take the Circle line tube from the Tower Hill Station to Paddington Station. At Paddington Station you would take the Great Western Rail train from Paddington to Slough and then from Slough to Windsor and Eton Central Station.

Windsor Castle is well worth the trip!

For me, the only places that catch my eye are, St George's Chapel and St George's Hall, both at Windsor Castle.

As for all those rooms of period furniture, dark oil paintings with gilded frames and mirrors - it's a very big MEH.

1. Best way to get there from Tower Bridge area.

tube and train

1. Only day I can manipulate is Saturday, taking a hit on Kensington tix.

oh well

1. Help!

what kind?

1. Any suggestions to make the most of the day.

Study the Windsor Castle website carefully, including the suggestions for arrival times, and print out what you can for reference and reminders.

On the way you could stop at Kensington Palace for an hour and have a look around since you have tickets anyway.

I like stopping at Kensington but perhaps after Windsor. Should have stayed 2 weeks but daughter has husband and high school teens.

Here is the plan.

Trip Advisor:
From Tower Hill, get the District line to Whitechapel (so going east which may seem counter-intuitive but only 2 stops) and then change to the Elizabeth line which is direct to Slough (get a Reading direction train) and then it's an easy but unavoidable change at Slough for a whole 6 mins journey on the train to Windsor & Eton Central. Much easier than getting the Circle to Paddington, and quicker too.
If time permits and since we have tickets, we’d like to stop in to Kensington Palace. Where would we get off Elizabeth Line for Kensington or would we need a different line.

schelljudjer - no problem asking for opinions on the best routes, but have you downloaded an transport app like Citymapper? With something like that, you can get yourself to where ever you wish to go and change plans on the fly easily without worrying about needing to know the next route.

Others may have London transport apps they prefer. I also use TFL Go.

Tube to Whitechapel and Elizabeth line to Slough is definitely the best route. Note that you can use contactless on this route BUT not Oystercards. This latter restriction would also apply to the Circle line to Paddington route.

I do like using the Cityplanner. This seemed a bit overwhelming for some odd reason. I even go to the Tube map to see where I am. It’s my insecurity I guess. I’ve travel all over Europe with my husband and never mind if I get lost - part of life. You discover things you never knew existed. I just don’t want to get lost with my daughter.

https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/visit/getting-here/

The Official Kensington Palace website suggests the Underground stations of either Queensway or High Street Kensington, both within 1/2 mile of the Palace. Both station are on the Central line. High Street Kensington is also served by the District line.

The Elizabeth line crosses the District line at Ealing Broadway or crosses the District and Circle lines at Paddington.

https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/track/elizabeth-line

I agree with downloading the free CityMapper app to use for getting around London on the tube, rail and on foot.