Living like royalty

>>> finally tonight, after a couple of years of roughing it, royal style in a rented house in wales, tonight the palace says the duke and duchess of cambridge are moving on up to the swanky side of london. here's nbc's stephanie gosk.

>> reporter: in their search for a new home, the duke and duchess of cambridge were limited by choice. they had to select from among the royal residences. but that certainly didn't mean compromising on splendor. in the end, the royal newlyweds chose kensington palace . william and harry's childhood home, a place filled with memories of princess diana .

>> he was raised, happily, at kensington palace , so he'll be starting his family, i think, in a place where he was a little boy . and i think that's quite significant because it shows that he's ready to settle down.

>> reporter: it won't be the exact same section of the sprawling palace. william and catherine will be living in apartment 1a, the former home of princess margaret , the queen's sister. there are four stories, 20 rooms and a walled garden , a real tradeup from the two bedroom cottage they now share. ready to take that place over, the world's most eligible bachelor himself, prince harry . william and kate will be moving their offices into the palace as well. so they can stay on top of their growing list of royal responsibilities. the latest was a trip to denmark, where the couple spent the day packing emergency aid for victims of famine in east africa .

>> i think what is going on in east africa puts things into perspective of how terrible a crisis can get.

>> reporter: catherine showed a smooth confidence with the media.

>> people have perhaps lost track of the terrible situation. i think this hopefully will put the light back on this crisis.

>> reporter: back in london, their new home won't be ready until 2013 . the wiring and the plumbing need some help and there is asbestos to be removed. with any luck it will all be done before the prince and princess decide it is time to become mother and father. stephanie gosk, nbc news, new york.