Kensington Gardens

13/06/2026

Today marks the start of Drowning Prevention Week, led by the Royal Life Saving Society UK - RLSS UK – our trusted water safety partner here at The Royal Parks.

If you’re visiting the parks, especially during the warmer weather, please remember to stay safe around water:

🛟 Always swim in a lifeguarded area – swimming is only allowed at The Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park
🛟 Never enter the water alone
🛟 Cold water shock can affect anyone, even when the weather’s warm – enter the water slowly
🛟 If you see someone in trouble, call 999 – don’t enter the water to rescue

Help us keep everyone safe by sticking to designated areas, respecting guidance around our lakes and water bodies and following the Water Safety Code.

Planning a day by the water? Find out more ▶️ https://bit.ly/4ersxtM.

12/06/2026

Join us next week for a walking tour of the beautiful Kensington Gardens 🌳

Discover hidden stories behind its famous statues and go behind the railings of the Albert Memorial 🏛️

Find out more, and book your space, via the link below 🔽

Join us for an introduction to beautiful Kensington Gardens including exclusive access to the Albert Memorial.

11/06/2026

Join the Friends of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens for their free Bandstand Concert series from June - September 🎶

The first one takes place this Sunday, 14 June.

Find out more about the line-up for this year by visiting below 🔽

Join the Friends of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens for their free Bandstand Concerts this June - September.

08/06/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us in Kensington Gardens for the Great Exhibition Road Festival over the weekend 🙌

We hope you enjoyed learning more about our work, the Great Exhibition of 1851 and taking part in a host of activities in the new Family Fun Zone 👪

08/06/2026

On this day 80 years ago The Mall in St James's Park played host to a parade featuring 10,000 servicemen and women, 400 vehicles and over 300 aircraft as part of London Victory Celebrations of 1946 to mark victory in the Second World War ✈️

Ahead of the parade troops from around the world had temporarily encamped in Kensington Gardens as they prepared for the celebrations ⛺

Take a scroll through these photos, courtesy of Getty Images, to see what the parks looked like at this time 📸

06/06/2026

As part of recent conservation works on the Elfin Oak, 97 figurines have been expertly and sensitively restored 🖌️

Here Susan Moore - accredited paintings conservator - explains more about the work 🗣️

05/06/2026

Standing in a bustling corner of Kensington Gardens is something quite extraordinary 🧐

At first glance it looks like a timeworn tree, but a closer inspection reveals a magical twist. Around its trunk dance a colourful cast of fairytale characters 🌳

Known as the Elfin Oak, this whimsical sculpture has delighted generations of visitors, from famous writers and rock stars to the comedian Spike Milligan and even King Charles III 👑

Find out more about this oak tree by reading on below 🔽

In a bustling corner of Kensington Gardens you will find the Elfin Oak, a whimsical sculpture whose colourful characters have delighted generations.

05/06/2026

05/06/2026

This weekend sees the Great Exhibition Road Festival taking place in South Kensington 🙌

This years festival sees an exciting new space in Kensington Gardens - with the Family Fun Zone being packed full of brilliant activities especially designed for children under 12 and their families 👪

Our team will be on hand to welcome you into this zone, helping to tell the wider story of the parks and the 175th anniversary of the Great Exhibition of 1851 held in Hyde Park 🌳

Find out more by reading on below 🔽

There’s masses for families to enjoy and discover in the Family Fun Zone. Try awesome activities especially designed for children under 12 and meet scientists, engineers and ecologists.

03/06/2026

In Kensington Gardens lies the Elfin Oak - a tree which is inhabited by an assortment of elves, fairies, goblins, witches and forest animals 🧝

We have recently undertaken conservation repairs to the Grade II listed structure. As part of the works, 97 figurines were expertly and sensitively restored 🖌️

This important project was jointly funded by ourselves and the Friends of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. Find out more 🔽

The Royal Parks charity has undertaken conservation repairs to the Grade II listed structure, with 97 figurines expertly and sensitively restored.