Kensington Palace state apartments to transform into immersive experience

Kensington Palace has announced & Mary, a major display centring on Queen Mary II and her often overlooked role as sovereign queen.

The experience will include a transformation of the the Queen’s State Apartments, the oldest rooms in Kensington Palace, and a sensory exhibition in the Pigott Gallery.

Reimagining the apartments

From April 2027, the Queen’s State Apartments will be permanently represented as an immersive experience focusing on Queen Mary II. Groups will wander through her original rooms and see personal objects on display, including her jewellery, Bible, toilette set and collection of Chinese porcelain and Japanese lacquer furniture. 

Under guidance of curatorial research, the apartments will be reimagined with period appropriate colours, patterns and textures, while clever graphics, tactile elements and audio visuals will provide deeper insight into the sovereign queen’s  identity, personal reflections, female relationships, and global and colonial connections.

A sensory storytelling experience

There will also be an audio-visual exhibition at the palace’s Pigott Gallery, open until November 2027. Leading on from the Queen’s rooms, groups will descend a back staircase to the gallery, reflecting the idea of moving from formal queenship into Mary’s inner world. 

Unlike typical exhibitions with traditional object displays, & Mary will use audio-visual media to explore how Mary escaped the pressure of rule through letter-writing, reading and theatre. At the heart of the exhibition will be her letters to friends, brought to life through sound and graphics which will reveal her imagination and emotions in her own words. 

Settings that held significance to her, such as her library, garden and shell grotto, will be used to create a contrast to the historic rooms above, allowing groups to experience both formal and personal sides of Queen Mary’s royal life. 

The & Mary experience will be included in group admission to Kensington Palace once it opens in April 2027. There are special offers, discounts and catering options for groups of 15-50 people.