Kensington Palace by night

16 April 2012

Over 250 residents got a rare chance to explore Kensington Palace out-of-hours at a special event organised by the Council, on Wednesday 11 April.

The event gave guests who might not normally visit the borough's cultural attractions an intimate account of Queen Victoria's extraordinary life through the palace's new exhibition - Victoria Revealed.

Guests included representatives from tenants' and residents' associations, migrant and refugee communities, the traveller community based at Stable Way and residents of the Wornington Green estate in North Kensington.

Opened by the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Cllr Julie Mills, the evening included speeches from the Head of Kensington Palace, Natasha Woollard and Head of Access and Learning Dr David Souden.

Commenting on the event the Mayor said: "It was a really wonderful opportunity for residents to visit the palace and see the splendid restoration. The exhibitions are very interesting. There is something for all, and the grounds and the park are now once again open for visitors to enjoy. We all enjoyed the evening and are grateful to Kensington Palace for arranging this special visit."

Mouna El-Ogbani, from Al-Hasaniya Moroccan Women's Centre, said: "This event was an opportunity for me and my children to visit Kensington Palace. We enjoyed the history and the stories about Queen Victoria."

Abdulkadir Abukar, a service user and Trustee of Hodan Somali Community, said: "This event was very important for me and my colleagues as new British nationals. It gave us an insight into the great history and identity of this country. This gave us a sense of belonging and being part of this society. It was great to see so many people of different backgrounds all enjoying the event."