In June 2000, the Diana Memorial Playground was opened in memory of the late Princess of Wales, who tragically died in a motor accident in Paris, France, in 1997.
With her patronage of The Royal Marsden Hospital and Great Ormand Street Hospital for Children, the playground is a fitting memorial to someone with such consideration for the welfare of the young, and who was so loved by the nation.
The playground is located on The Broad Walk, close to her Kensington Palace home, and just a 10-minute stroll across Kensington Gardens from Hyde Park London. The playground is totally free, but with restrictions. Only adults with children aged up to twelve years are allowed entry, and numbers in the playground are restricted, so arriving early is recommended.
The park’s centrepiece is a large pirate sailing galleon, complete with sand and a water play area. Other attractions include wooden climbing frames and bridges, Indian Tepees, a sensory trail, and swings and slides. Areas are separated by hedges, so keep an eye on the little ones, as the park can get busy.
For the grown-ups, there are toilets and a baby changing room, and a café and ice cream shop where you can buy snacks to eat at the picnic tables dotted around the playground.
During opening hours, the playground is fully staffed with security and first aid personnel, and all children must be supervised by a parent or guardian. The playground opens from 10.00 to 19.45 through the summer, with earlier closing through the winter months.
By Mark Ahsmann – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25533370
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