Princess Diana’s love of children to be celebrated with a £3million revamp of playground

The memorial playground dedicated to the precocious Princess of Wales successful Kensington Gardens and visited by a cardinal radical a twelvemonth is acceptable to get a 'Peter Pan’ makeover

Princess Diana’s emotion of children volition beryllium celebrated with a £3million revamp of the playground built successful her memory.

The memorial playground dedicated to the precocious Princess of Wales successful Kensington Gardens and visited by a cardinal radical a twelvemonth is to get a 'Peter Pan’ makeover.

The site, which opened successful 2000 marking what would person been the princess's 39th birthday, volition adjacent for six months from this autumn portion its ageing features are replaced.

The Royal Parks foundation said the refit volition diagnostic a caller galleon to regenerate the aged pirate vessel which volition beryllium much accessible for youngsters of each abilities.

Plans volition "retain the characteristics of the existing Peter Pan-inspired playground but volition supply much accessible and inclusive play, arsenic good arsenic challenging carnal play, truthful that children of each abilities tin bask originative and imaginative play together".

The galleon volition see an further ‘crow’s nest’ and a treble storey ‘stern’ with a ship’s instrumentality and a telescope.

A caller multiple-level Tree House encampment, constructed with sustainably-sourced timber, volition supply opportunities for children to ascent and play astatine antithetic heights and includes areas accessible to wheelchairs. Three towers astatine antithetic heights volition supply antithetic levels of challenge, portion different features see a suspension bridge, a passageway slide, a enactment span and a see-saw span with a slide.

A redesigned and improved Mermaid Fountain volition grow the h2o and soil play area. The caller designs volition let runoff h2o to beryllium collected and reused for irrigation.

New histrion planting for shadiness and biodiversity, unneurotic with sensory, allergy-friendly and pollinator-friendly planting volition amended the playground’s earthy setting, alongside caller seating and paths which volition amended entree for all.

Andy Williams, Park Manager, Kensington Gardens says: “It’s been fantastic to invited millions and millions of children to what is arguably the astir celebrated playground successful the world, acceptable against the beauteous backdrop of Kensington Gardens.

“We’re delighted to stock the archetypal designs for this breathtaking renewal which volition clasp the quality of the existing playground, but volition incorporated caller improved features, inspiring children to beryllium funny astir the earthy environment, for galore years.

“We’re moving unneurotic with section communities, particularly children, to stitchery and incorporated their feedback into the designs astatine each stage, truthful that each children consciousness invited and tin bask free, accessible, originative and societal play, fostering their wellness and wellbeing.”

The playground volition reopen successful outpouring 2026.