The King and Queen stayed at Buckingham Palace during World War Two, leaving the Palace during the evenings to spend them with their daughters, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, who had been moved to Windsor Castle for safety.

During World War II, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) made a conscious and courageous decision to remain primarily at Buckingham Palace to show solidarity with the British people, despite the building being a frequent target for the Luftwaffe. The palace was hit by bombs on nine separate occasions, most notably in September 1940, when a bomb destroyed the Royal Chapel while the King and Queen were in residence. This event led the Queen Mother to famously remark, "I am glad we have been bombed. It makes me feel I can look the East End in the face." While they performed their official duties and spent their days at the Palace, the Royal Family often retreated to Windsor Castle at night for safety, as it was considered slightly less of a target than central London. The young Princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret, spent the vast majority of the war years living at Windsor. This period solidified the monarchy's popularity, as their refusal to flee to Canada or the countryside during the Blitz was seen as a vital symbol of national defiance.