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ROYAL GARDENS 



ness of his work compared with the simple ornamentation 

 and noble proportions of the parts designed by Wren, makes 

 it a matter for profound regret that the latter did not com- 

 plete the whole building. 



The last considerable additions to the palace were made 

 by the Duke of Sussex, sixth son of George III. It is a 

 large and irregular building, with three quadrangles ; and, 

 as might be expected, is somewhat incongruous in its archi- 

 tecture. Its interior is very much finer than the outside 

 appearance would suggest, and the state apartments are hand- 

 some and well-proportioned. Leigh Hunt, in his charming 

 gossipy manner, says, " It can be imagined full of English 

 comfort, it is quiet, in a good air, and though it is a palace, 

 no tragical history is connected with it ; all which considera- 

 tions give it a sort of homely, fireside character, which seems 

 to represent the domestic side of royalty itself, and thus 

 renders an interesting service to what is not always so well 

 recommended by cost and splendour. Windsor Castle is a 

 place to receive monarchs in ; Buckingham Palace, to see 

 fashion in ; Kensington Palace seems a place to drink tea 

 in ; and this is by no means a state of things in which the 

 idea of royalty comes least home to the good wishes of its 

 subjects." 



Many members of the Royal Family have resided here, and 

 many interesting and important events have happened in the 

 old palace. Princess Caroline of Wales spent three or four 

 years of her unhappy life at Kensington ; and here resided, at 

 one time, the Duke of Kent. It was in Kensington Palace 

 that, on the 24th of May 18 19, his only daughter Princess 

 Victoria was born ; and here most of the years of her child- 

 hood were passed. She used to take her walks, or drive in a 

 little carriage, almost daily in the gardens ; and it was in the 

 adjoining palace that very early in the morning of June 20, 

 1837, one of the most touching and memorable scenes in 

 history took place : the announcement that she, an inex- 

 perienced girl of eighteen, was Queen of England. 



In Kensington Palace, then. Queen Victoria began her 



