Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground to close from 3 November for an exciting renewal
The Royal Parks charity, which manages London’s eight Royal Parks, has announced that the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground will be closed from 3 November 2025 for a refurbishment, and is due to reopen for summer 2026.
The playground in Kensington Gardens, opened in 2000 to commemorate the late Diana, Princess of Wales, who resided at the nearby Kensington Palace.
Inspired by the adventures of Peter Pan, the playground welcomes over one million visitors a year. But after decades of adventures and play, some of the equipment in the playground has reached the end of its life and now needs a full replacement.
As part of the renewal:
- A new Galleon, (a large sailing ship), will replace the existing ship which had reached the end of its life. The ship’s replacement will include exciting new features such as an additional crow’s nest, (elevated lookout on the mast of a ship), and a tunnel slide. It will also provide ramped access to the main deck.
- A new Treehouse inspired by the idea of woodland hideaways will feature three towers at different heights, providing climbing opportunities for different ages and abilities. The Treehouse will include social and interactive features such as musical equipment and talk tubes where children can talk to friends at different levels.
- A larger-than-life crocodile will lurk in the redesigned water play area. Covered with stones and approximately 12 metres long, the sculpture will incorporate dams between the connecting parts of the crocodiles’ body, allowing children to control the flow of water.
- A refreshed under 3’s area, to include a new sandpit area, and brand-new equipment such as play ships, timber houses, seesaw and a climbing structure complete with a slide.
To make this playground even more welcoming, The Royal Parks charity has taken steps to improve accessibility and inclusivity. These include providing wheelchair accessible spaces within the new Galleon and the new Treehouse, widening and resurfacing some paths in the playground, and the creation of a new accessible path. Wheelchair accessible picnic tables will also be added, and the water and sand area will have raised tables. We will also have sensory planting, and the musical area will be upgraded as part of the renewal.
Sustainability has been at the forefront of the design. Both the Galleon and the Treehouse will be constructed from timber from sustainably managed European forests, and the new designs for the water play area will allow runoff water to be collected and used for irrigation. Some of the timber from the existing Galleon and Treehouse will be used to create new fencing and seating.
Over the last year, the charity has run sessions with visitors and the local community groups to get their input on the renewal. The charity has incorporated a lot of this feedback into the designs. For example, recurrent feedback for the Galleon was that there should be more climbing elements, better access for all, and that the sails should return. These elements have been incorporated into the new designs.
Andy Williams, Kensington Gardens Park Manager, said:
“Since it opened in 2000, millions of children from across the world have come to play at the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground. This popularity has meant that over the last two decades, the equipment has been well used and has reached the end of its life. We are excited to renew this playground to ensure that it retains its crown as one of the world’s most popular playgrounds. We can’t wait for children to see and experience the end result next year.”
The playground will be funded by The Royal Parks charity, and through a mix of private and public donations.
*Prior to the renewal, the last day to visit the playground will be the 2 November 2025. On this day it will close at the normal time of 3.45pm.
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