Almost exactly 85 years ago, German bombs struck Buckingham Palace. As the Queen Mother stood among the rubble and debris, she memorably remarked that she could finally ‘look the East End in the face’.

It became a point of national pride that she and her husband, King George VI, refused to leave their London residence during the Second World War.

Yet, almost nine decades on from those devastating raids, the landmark faces an even more uncertain future – as a palace without a king.

With the news that the Prince and Princess of Wales plan to move to a new ‘forever home’ – Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park – the spotlight is being shone on the Royal Family‘s huge portfolio of properties, and the ever-dwindling number of tenants to occupy them.

The Daily Mail has been told that it is William’s ‘intention’ to remain in their new Grade II-listed property even after he accedes to the throne.

‘This is for the long term and it’s their intention to stay in Forest Lodge once he becomes king,’ a source said.

Understandably this has prompted serious questions in royal circles about the long-term viability of both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, as well as other private royal estates such as Sandringham in Norfolk and Balmoral in the Scottish Highlands, which the prince is eventually set to inherit.

Locals say the eight-bedroom Forest Lodge is a definite ‘step up’ from the family’s current four-bedroom home, Adelaide Cottage, where they have lived since 2022 (after deciding to leave London and move to Berkshire while their children were still young).

Once described as a ‘very substantial house in one of the loveliest parts of the country’, the Georgian mansion dates back to the 1770s.

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Forest Lodge, where William and the family ‘will take up permanent residence’

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William, Kate and their three children are set to move to the 300-year-old home later this year

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The choice of Forest Lodge as their long-term family home raises questions about the future of Buckingham Palace after William becomes King

The three-storey home boasts elaborate plaster cornices and ceiling decoration, exquisite marble fireplaces and a half-barrel-vaulted ceiling. It also has six bathrooms, a long gallery and a tennis court, which will doubtless suit the sporty Princess of Wales.

Since the lodge was acquired by the Crown in 1829, a number of equerries, private secretaries and other royal staff have lived there. It underwent a £1.5 million refurbishment in 2001 so that it could be rented out commercially.

Although well beyond the means of most families, Forest Lodge is certainly not grand – particularly when it comes to an heir to the throne.

William’s decision to live there shows his determination to adopt a more ‘relatable’ way of living, in comparison with Prince Andrew’s vast 30-room Royal Lodge just a short drive away in the Great Park, or Prince Edward’s Bagshot Park, which is said to boast between 50 and 120 rooms.

The Waleses will pay a market rent for Forest Lodge, which is never publicly disclosed for commercial reasons. (The freehold is owned by the Crown Estate which also owns the freehold to Prince Andrew’s home.)

Plans have already been approved by the local council for a limited amount of internal and external renovations, which William and Catherine are funding themselves.

Building works have already begun, with the family hoping to move in by the end of the year.

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Prince George, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince Louis, Prince William and Princess Charlotte arrive for a settling in afternoon at Lambrook School, near Ascot, England

Sources close to the couple stress their initial decision to up-sticks from their apartment at Kensington Palace to Adelaide Cottage in 2022 was ‘designed to test a new location and see if it worked for them as a family’ – and it very much has.

Currently, all three children attend Lambrook School, a short drive away in Bracknell, and are said to be ‘thriving’ in the new environment.

William and Catherine remain determined to be as hands-on as possible with their children while continuing to work as senior members of the Royal Family. Living in Windsor, insiders say, offers them the opportunity to do just that.

‘They want to continue to do the school run, even if they are king and queen,’ adds a source.

Friends also say the move to Forest Lodge will allow the family to start a new chapter after a ‘challenging’ few years which have seen both the Princess of Wales and King Charles diagnosed with cancer.

While Catherine is now in remission, a source says of the move: ‘It’s a fresh start for them after three really tough years.

‘They are looking forward to creating many happy memories in their new home and leaving some of the unhappier ones behind.’

There will be no live-in staff, butlers or valets for the Waleses at Forest Lodge – an illustration of just how fiercely they guard their privacy. The same applies currently at Adelaide Cottage.

However, there are ‘five or six’ two- and three-bedroom cottages – currently occupied by estate staff – just a few hundred yards away from the Waleses’ new home.

Royal insiders say William and Kate are hoping for a ‘fresh start’ at Forest Lodge following a challenging period for the Royal Family

Locals understand these will be occupied by the family’s security detail, housekeeper and nanny after they move in.

Extra security will also be needed as Forest Lodge is outside Windsor Castle’s ‘ring of steel’.