The Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens reopens to the public on Wednesday after a £3 million Peter Pan-themed makeover. The playground, dedicated to the late Princess of Wales, has been closed since last autumn for the renovation.
New features include a wooden ship and treehouse
The centrepiece is a full-scale 17-metre wooden ship, complete with a 12-metre galleon. Children can climb to crow's nests, slide down a large tunnel, and enjoy a play kitchen below deck. The ship was built in the Bavarian Alps from sustainably sourced mountain larch wood by Timberplay and Richter Spielgerate, the same designers of the original 2000 galleon.
A treehouse with a four-metre slide and wheelchair-accessible walkways has been added, along with a redesigned under-threes area featuring timber houses, play ships, and a sandpit. A new waterplay area with a life-sized crocodile sculpture cannot operate yet due to London's hosepipe ban.
Children test equipment ahead of opening
Pupils from St Mary Abbot School, near Kensington Palace, tried out the new equipment before the opening. Andy Williams, Park Manager for Kensington Gardens, said: “We know that children across London, the UK and the world have been eagerly awaiting the reopening of this playground, and we can’t wait to see their reactions when they visit. We know they will absolutely love it.”
Williams added: “This playground has been thoughtfully designed so that children of all abilities and interests can find something that appeals to them. Children can once again splash, swing, climb and hide in this almost two-acre playground set amongst sub-tropical planting.”
Potential queues expected
The Royal Parks warns the playground may be busier than usual for the first few months. Williams said: “This incredibly popular playground has a capacity of 450 people and with UK schools now on summer break, we are expecting more people to visit than usual. Therefore, there may be lengthy queues across the week, but especially at weekends.”
He advised visitors to plan ahead: “There are 13 other playgrounds to visit across the Royal Parks, plus lots of family events, so if you get to this playground and don’t want to wait, please check out The Royal Parks website for what else might be going on.”
History of the playground
The Diana Memorial Playground first opened in June 2000, three years after Diana's death, on the site of a playground originally opened in 1906 by Peter Pan author JM Barrie. The princess, a former kindergarten teacher, was known for her rapport with children. At the 2000 opening, her friend Rosa Monckton and daughter Domenica, then five, helped open the site with then-Chancellor Gordon Brown. Diana's brother Charles Spencer attended with his four oldest children.
The playground attracts an average of one million visitors per year, making it the UK's most visited, according to The Royal Parks.
