King Charles has made the momentous decision not to live at Buckingham Palace once refurbishments are completed, but it wasn't a complete surprise to everyone.
One of his former royal staff members says he knew the King would decide to stay at Clarence House, because the monarch told him years ago, long before his mother, the Queen, died.
Costly refurbishments to the Palace, said to be costing £369million, are set to be completed next year, but Charles and Queen Camilla will remain in Clarence House. They have lived there for more than 20 years.
Former royal butler Grant Harrold worked for Charles between 2004 and 2011, and said the King told him of his preference "years ago".
Speaking exclusively to us, he said: "The King actually told me about his plans to keep Clarence House as his main residence years ago, long before he became monarch.
"So the news isn't really a surprise, I think it's always been on the cards. I knew that this would be a call he would eventually make and announce publicly."
Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of the UK monarch since the start of Queen Victoria's reign in 1837. Since then six kings and queens have used the Palace as their official residence, most recently Charles' mother.
Royal officials say the decision has partly been taken to allow greater public access to the historic landmark. There are security concerns that with the King living at the Palace, it would limit them number of areas visitors could view.
With both Charles and Camilla both not far off 80, it is thought they don't want the upheaval of moving themselves and their staff across to Buckingham Palace.
Grant explained why he thinks it is right for Charles and Camilla to remain in Clarence House.
He said: "The King and Camilla love Clarence House. They've lived there for over two decades and they've really made it their home.
"It's their style and it's homely, their private place away from the spotlight.
"They also have the benefit of it being just down the road from Buckingham Palace, so they can pop there very easily whenever needed."
The 10-year refurb of Buckingham Palace has been funded through a temporary increase in the Sovereign Grant, which pays for the official duties of the royals. It is expected to be completed in March 2027.
Ageing cables, lead pipes, wiring and boilers are set to be replaced in the renovation, many for the first time in 60 years. It followed concerns about potential fire and water damage.
Grant thinks that while the Palace is not suitable for the King and Queen to live in, it will still prove useful for the Royal Family.
He said: “I’ve spent time in the private areas of Buckingham Palace, and they are very dated. The whole building is. They have tried to modernise it over the years with all of the renovations, however it’s a historic building filled with centuries of traditions.
"It’s also obviously very, very large. Getting from a room on one side of it to a room on the other is quite a journey, and we’ve got to remember they’re getting older. It’s not overly practical.
“While it’s not practical for the King and Queen’s private living, it’s the perfect place for big state occasions - and it will still be used for that."
Grant added that the Royal Family announcing that they wanted to increase access to the Palace is a "telling detail" because it is "another sign of modernising".
He did suggest though that the announcement could be a "clever PR move" because it came at the same time as King Charles released details of his personal tax bill for the first time.
