New galleon set for refurbished Diana playground

The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground in central London is set to reopen this summer with a new "full-scale" wooden ship for children to enjoy.

The Kensington Gardens attraction closed for refurbishment works in autumn 2025.

Situated next to Princess Diana's former home, Kensington Palace, it has an average of one million visitors per year, making it the UK's most visited playground, according to the Royal Parks.

The charity said £3m is being spent on upgrading the playground's equipment, which has "reached the end of its life".

The new galleon was constructed in the village of Frasdorf, Germany, by the same designers who produced the original Peter Pan-themed galleon for the playground's opening in 2000.

Andy Williams, park manager for Kensington Gardens, said the galleon "really reaches to children's imaginations, it lets them set free in a safe space".

He added the new playground was "in the spirit of Princess Diana, we've kept faithful to that".

The new structure is partially built out of mountain larch wood from sustainably managed forests in the Bavarian Alps.

The Royal Parks said the harsh alpine conditions result in extremely slow growth, making the timber stronger and naturally rot-resistant, negating the need for chemically treated wood.

The new galleon is constructed over three levels and will replace the existing pirate ship.

It will have wheelchair accessible spaces and includes an additional crow's nest and a double-storey stern, with a ship's wheel and a telescope.

The attraction will also feature a new treehouse, redesigned water play area and a new space for those aged under three.

Royal Parks said in order to improve "accessibility and inclusivity some of the paths in the playground will be resurfaced and a new accessible path will be created".

Wheelchair accessible picnic tables will be added, and the waterplay and sand area will have raised tables, while there will also be sensory planting and an upgraded musical area, the charity said.

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