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Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Walk from Green Park

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Hiking trails & Routes

Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Walk from Green Park

Moderate

4.6

(7)

hikers

Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Walk from Green Park

03:11

12.4km

60m

Hiking

Embark on the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Walk, a moderate 7.7-mile (12.4 km) hike through London's royal parks. This route, which takes about 3 hours and 11 minutes to complete with a minimal 197 feet (60 metres) of elevation gain, guides you through well-maintained paths, including asphalt, paved sections, and some gravel. You will experience the lush scenery of St James's Park, Green Park, Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens, passing by formal gardens like the Italian Gardens and spotting small wildlife.

This walk is generally considered leisurely, making it suitable for most fitness levels. While you can complete the entire route in one go, you might consider splitting it over an afternoon or two to fully appreciate the many landmarks. The trail is easily accessible within central London, and its well-surfaced paths mean you can enjoy it comfortably in various weather conditions, though checking local transport and park opening times is always a good idea.

The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Walk is a living tribute, marked by 90 distinctive aluminum plaques with rose emblems that guide your way and highlight significant locations from her life. You will pass iconic royal residences such as Kensington Palace, Buckingham Palace, and St. James's Palace. The route also includes the Diana Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park and the Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens, offering a contemplative journey through London's history and green spaces.

Last updated: April 23, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

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1.02 km

The Mall, London

Highlight • Cycleway

Legendary boulevard and ceremonial street in London, followed by the guards on their parade for the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.

Translated by Google •

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1.22 km

St. James's Park Lake

Highlight • Viewpoint

St James’s Park is the oldest Royal Park in London and features a large lake that is a sanctuary for ducks, geese, swans, and pelicans. The park includes The Mall and Guards Parade and is surrounded by iconic landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Whitehall. Walking around the beautifully maintained gardens is a treat at any time of year.

Tip by

2.97 km

Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Memorial

Highlight • Historical Site

Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of the British monarchy since 1837. The palace has 775 rooms, including 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms. You can visit Buckingham Palace but it is advisable to book tickets for a long time in advance.

For more information, visit: tickets.rct.uk.

Tip by

3.72 km

Wellington Arch

Highlight • Monument

Wellington Arch, also known as Constitution Arch or (originally) as the Green Park Arch, is a Grade I-listed triumphal arch by Decimus Burton that forms a centrepiece of Hyde Park Corner in central London, between corners of Hyde Park and Green Park; it stands on a large traffic island with crossings for pedestrian access. From its construction in 1826 until 1830 the arch stood in a different location nearby; it was moved to its current site in 1882–1883. It originally supported a colossal equestrian statue of the 1st Duke of Wellington by the sculptor Matthew Cotes Wyatt, as a result of which it has acquired the name "the Wellington Arch" in the vernacular. A bronze quadriga (an ancient four-horse chariot) by Adrian Jones has surmounted it since 1912.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellington_Arch

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5.23 km

The Serpentine, Hyde Park

Highlight • Lake

Hyde Park is a public green space in central London. Together with the other royal parks, it forms the city's "green lung" and is one of the largest and best-known inner-city parks in the world.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

6.07 km

Albert Memorial, Kensington Gardens

Highlight • Monument

When Prince Albert died on 14 December 1861, at the age of 42, the thoughts of those in government and public life turned to the form and shape of a suitable memorial, with several possibilities, such as establishing a university or international scholarships, being mentioned. Queen Victoria, however, soon made it clear that she desired a memorial "in the common sense of the word". The initiative was taken by the Lord Mayor of London, William Cubitt, who, at a meeting on 14 January 1862, appointed a committee to raise funds for a design to be approved by the Queen. The control and future course of the project, though, moved away from Mansion House, and ended up being controlled by people close to the Queen, rather than the Mayor. Those who determined the overall direction from that point on were the Queen's secretary, General Charles Grey, and the keeper of the privy purse, Sir Charles Phipps. Later, following the deaths of Grey and Phipps, their roles were taken on by Sir Henry Ponsonby and Sir Thomas Biddulph. Eventually, a four-man steering committee was established, led by Sir Charles Lock Eastlake. Eastlake had overall control for the project until his death in 1865. An initial proposal for an obelisk memorial failed, and this was followed in May 1862 by the appointment of a seven-strong committee of architects. A range of designs were submitted and examined. Two of the designs (those by Philip Charles Hardwick and George Gilbert Scott) were passed to the Queen in February 1863 for a final decision to be made. Two months later, after lengthy deliberations and negotiations with the government over the costs of the memorial, Scott's design was formally approved in April 1863.

(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Memorial)

Tip by

6.94 km

Kensington Palace and Gardens

Highlight • Historical Site

One of the Royal Parks of London, Kensington Gardens was originally the private garden of the palace. Today it's a vast area of green space and links together with St James' Park and Green Park.

The gardens are fenced, unlike some of the other parks, and only open during daylight hours. There are more formal aspects to the gardens than other parks and they were once park of Hyde Park. The Italian Garden is one of the most curated areas, with its fountains and classical statues. The gardens are free to enter.

Tip by

7.12 km

Statue of Diana, Princess of Wales

Highlight • Historical Site

A statue of Diana, Princess of Wales, is located in the Sunken Garden of London's Kensington Palace. Commissioned by Diana's two sons William and Harry on the 20th anniversary of her death, the statue was designed and executed by sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley and placed in the newly redesigned garden by Pip Morrison before being unveiled as a memorial to Diana on 1 July 2021, which would have been her 60th birthday

Tip by

8.79 km

Italian Gardens, Kensington Gardens

Highlight • Structure

Created in the 1860s, you can find this ornamental water garden on the north side of park, near Lancaster Gate.

The Italian Gardens are an elaborate mix of four main basins. They feature central rosettes carved in Carrara marble, the Portland stone and white marble Tazza Fountain, and a collection of stone statues and urns. See if you can spot the five main urn designs – a swan's breast, woman's head, ram's head, dolphin and oval.

Did you know?

The gardens are believed to have been a gift from Prince Albert to his beloved Queen Victoria. They are now recognised as being a site of particular importance and are Grade II listed by Historic England.

A brief history of the Italian Gardens

The layout of the Italian Gardens can be traced to Osborne House on The Isle of Wight, where the royal family spent its holidays.

Prince Albert was a keen gardener and took charge of the gardens at Osborne House, where he introduced an Italian garden with large raised terraces, fountains, urns and geometric flower beds.

In 1860 he brought the idea to Kensington Gardens. The design by James Pennethorne includes many features of the Osborne garden.

Look out for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's initials on one of the walls of the Pump House, at the north of the gardens. This building once contained a steam engine which operated the fountains - the pillar on the roof is a cleverly-disguised chimney. A stoker kept the engine running on Saturday nights to pump water into the Round Pond, so on Sundays there was enough water pressure to run the fountains.
royalparks.org.uk/parks/kensington-gardens/things-to-see-and-do/gardens-and-landscapes/italian-gardens

Tip by

12.4 km

End point

Train Station

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

11.4 km

951 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

8.72 km

2.06 km

1.13 km

343 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Thursday 28 May

25°C

16°C

23 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 15.0 km/h

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This route was planned by komoot.

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Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Walk from Green Park

The Mall, London

St. James's Park Lake

Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Memorial

Wellington Arch

The Serpentine, Hyde Park

Albert Memorial, Kensington Gardens

Kensington Palace and Gardens

Statue of Diana, Princess of Wales

Italian Gardens, Kensington Gardens

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