The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are hoping to move to a cottage just a short walk away from Queen Elizabeth's Windsor Castle apartments.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have a potential new home in mind

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have a potential new home in mind

The couple - who have children Princes George, eight, and Louis, four, and Princess Charlotte, seven, together - are said to be planning to leave London over the next few months and following a period of time househunting in Berkshire, they are now believed to have earmarked Adelaide Cottage as their first choice of new home.

The cottage was built in 1831 as a retreat for William IV's wife, Queen Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, and as well as being a favourite spot of Queen Victoria, it was also once home to the late Princess Margaret's former partner, Peter Townsend.

Despite the age of the property, William and Catherine are unlikely to need to do much work to the abode because it was renovated in 2015, though still retains many of its period features.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "Finding a way to make Adelaide Cottage work seems to be the best and only option.

"There are issues with all the other houses, so Adelaide will be the favourite."

The news comes shortly after it was revealed George recently went on a "trial day" at a potential new school to meet his possible future classmates, with staff at the unnamed establishment said to be "amused and relieved" to find other pupils didn't recognise the prince or understandhis position.

The school - which has not been named - educates a number of children from wealthy European families but is not as high-profile at Ludgrove School in Berkshire, where Prince William was educated, or Marlborough College where his wife Catherine was a pupil.

George first attended the Westacre Montessori School Nursery in Norfolk, when his family were living in Norfolk, before moving to Thomas' School in Battersea, South London, in September 2017.

His younger sister later joined him at Thomas', but she and Louis are expected to be joining George at the new school in Windsor in the next academic year.

A source said recently: "Word is that all three children will be leaving their London schools. William and Kate, in particular, love the idea of their family growing up not far from her own childhood home. They are both country people at heart and Kate spends so much time with her family anyway. It makes perfect sense for them to all be at the same school together. If all three children are at school in Berkshire together it also means George wouldn’t have to board."

The couple are said to be planning to retain their current London home, Kensington Palace's Apartment 1A, as a "work base".