Unlike his successor, George II (1727-60) made Kensington one of his principal residences. He usually spent between four and six months of the year there.

The palace, however, changed little structurally during his long reign. The only new building erected was a stable block built in 1740 for his younger son, William, the Duke of Cumberland.
 

Falling into disuse

After the death of his wife, Queen Caroline, in 1737, large parts of the palace fell into disuse. Horace Walpole commented in 1749 that 'though there are so many vacant chambers [at Kensington], the King hoards all he can, and has locked up half the palace since the Queen's death'.