Chris Jackson/Getty
Prior to William, Prince of Wales marrying Catherine, Princess of Wales, he reportedly spoke with his beloved grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, about the title his future wife would obtain. According to a 2010 piece from The Telegraph’s now-defunct Mandrake column, Prince William was reportedly certain what he wanted for himself and Kate Middleton. As a courtier told the outlet, “He says he was born Prince William and wants to continue to be known as that. He wants Kate to become Princess Catherine.” However, that isn’t the standard for royals. If a woman marries into the royal family and she and her husband do not receive title upgrades, such as becoming a duke and duchess, for instance, she is usually referred to as “Princess” and her husband’s name.
Speculating on Kate’s future title, royal historian Kenneth Rose argued, “Kate is a commoner and could not be known as ‘Princess Catherine.'” He added, “However, it is up to the queen what title she gives her and there have been one or two exceptions.” He mentioned how the Duchess of Gloucester became Princess Alice after her husband’s death. On Kate hypothetically becoming Princess Catherine, Rose noted, “If this happened, I am pretty certain that Princess Michael of Kent, for example, would ask to become Princess Marie-Christine. I should think that there will be some pressure put on him [William] not to change the system.” It seems Her Majesty decided not to shake things up, since she didn’t make Kate a titled princess upon her marriage to William.
However, it likely was nothing personal, since Elizabeth and Kate reportedly got along very well.
Max Mumby/indigo/Getty
Since Prince William and Kate Middleton became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge following their nuptials, Kate obviously was not rechristened “Princess William.” But, when Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022 and King Charles III took her place, William and Kate inherited the Prince and Princess of Wales titles, along with the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall titles and some additional others to boot. Kate has many names, nicknames, and titles, and she isn’t always called Catherine.
After Kate gained the Princess of Wales title (which used to be the late Princess Diana’s title), an insider informed the Daily Mail, “[Catherine] appreciates the history associated with this role but will understandably want to look to the future as she creates her own path.” They continued, “The couple are focused on deepening the trust and respect of the people of Wales over time. The Prince and Princess of Wales will approach their roles in the modest and humble way they’ve approached their work previously.”
In 2024, Charles bestowed a new title on Kate and solidified their bond. Per the royal family’s “Appointments” webpage, Kate became a Royal Companion of The Order of the Companions of Honour.
