Why no one calls the Duchess of Cambridge “Princess Kate”
Ever wondered why Kate Middleton became the Duchess of Cambridge and not Princess Catherine when she married Prince William? She may technically be a princess, but there’s a reason why she goes by “Duchess” instead.
She does hold the title of Princess William of Wales (since women marrying into the royal family take their husband’s first name) but prefers her Duchess title because it actually holds more weight than “Princess”.
“While Catherine is absolutely a princess, her correct title is ‘Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge,’” CNN royal expert Victoria Arbiter told Yahoo Style.
“She wasn’t born a blood princess, so she is not a princess in her own right. When she married William, she took on the rank of her husband, a royal prince. However, referring to her as ‘Princess Kate’ is simply incorrect.”
So, you may be wondering, why was Diana “Princess Diana”? Well, the answer is a little more complicated. Charles was not only born a prince but also made Prince of Wales in 1969 – the more important title of the two.
Therefore, just like Kate took on William’s higher title, becoming the Duke and Duchess, Diana adopted Charles’ title of Prince.
As if it all wasn’t confusing enough, when Charles becomes king, William will step into the title of Prince of Wales, making Kate “Her Royal Highness, the Princess of Wales.”
But even when that day comes, she’ll never be officially referred to as “Princess Kate”. Why? Because her preferred name is “Catherine”, of course.