Kate inherited the title from her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, who was married to Prince Charles—now King Charles III—from 1981 to 1996. While Kate is colloquially referred to as Princess Catherine or Princess Kate, her correct royal name is actually Catherine, Princess of Wales.
Prince William, 40, and Kate, 41, were given the titles of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge by Queen Elizabeth on their wedding day in 2011.
Kate is technically a princess of the United Kingdom, but “princess” is her occupation, not her title.
Princess of Wales
Kate inherited the title from her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, who was married to Prince Charles—now King Charles III—from 1981 to 1996. While Kate is colloquially referred to as Princess Catherine or Princess Kate, her correct royal name is actually Catherine, Princess of Wales.
Kate Middleton's decision not to curtsy to Queen Camilla was a clear indication of her disapproval of King Charles' wife and her mishandling of his coronation, according to sources. While Kate is known for her poised public image, insiders reveal that she is no pushover when it comes to royal politics.
Why is Kate not a princess? Even though Diana was known as 'Princess Diana', Kate is not a princess just because she married Prince William. To become a Princess, one has to be born into the Royal Family such as Prince William and Kate's daughter, Princess Charlotte, or the Queen's daughter, Princess Anne.
6. Camilla was supposed to be the Princess of Wales, like Princess Diana. Duke of Cornwall is a title given to a reigning British monarch's oldest son, per Town & Country. When Camilla married Charles, she took on the feminine version of the title as the Duchess of Cornwall instead of the Princess of Wales.
Kate will instead be a queen consort, the wife of a reigning king (William, of course).
Prince William defied royal protocol at the King's Coronation when he chose not to bow to Queen Camilla at the Coronation Concert.
2. What Was Middleton's Net Worth Before She Married Prince William? Although the princess was technically a commoner prior to marrying Prince William, she comes from a wealthy family. The Middletons own a popular party supply business called Party Pieces, and their shared net worth is about $50 million.
Prince William and Kate Middleton seem to have a relationship like any other, and part of that is giving each other nicknames that only they can call each other. While Prince William calls Kate 'Duchess of Dolittle', she calls him 'Big Willy' and 'Baldy'.
Although they never met, Diana and Kate Middleton's fashion is certainly something they would have had in common: from regal eveningwear to formal ensembles, the pair share a knack for chic and impeccable dressing.
Yes, Meghan is technically a Princess of the United Kingdom. This was listed on her son Archie's birth certificate. However, she is a princess by marriage not birth – therefore she doesn't officially have 'Princess' before her first name.
Camilla may have been at Diana's wedding but she was not welcome at her funeral, which was watched by an estimated 2.5 billion people around the world. Still, to many her absence echoed around the ancient hall. The Queen made it clear to Charles that he could not take his paramour to the service.
How much did Kate Middleton inherit from Queen Elizabeth II? Radar Online reported in September 2022 that was Kate was expected to inherit $110 million in jewelry from the Queen after her death. The collection includes 300 personal pieces of jewelry that belonged just to the Queen and not the Crown.
Princess Catherine will eventually become queen when Prince William is named king. However, that won't happen until his dad, King Charles, steps down as monarch (or passes away).
"The Princess of Wales will retain the title and be known as Diana, Princess of Wales," a spokeswoman for Diana said in a statement. Per the terms of the divorce agreement, Diana kept her apartments at Kensington Palace and the two split custody of their children, Prince William and Prince Harry.
To become a bonafide “princess,” royal protocol dictates that one must either be born the daughter of the sovereign or a prince—or become a prince's wife, and therefore take his title upon marriage. So, marrying Prince Harry won't technically make Meghan a true princess.
Archie and Lilibet were not prince and princess at birth, because they were not grandchildren of the monarch, but they gained the right to these titles when King Charles acceded to the throne.
Can Harry and Meghan legally lose their Duke and Duchess titles? Legally, the monarch has no powers to remove a family member's royal titles - it would require an act of parliament to actually happen.
“The duchess has a degree in art history,” she explains. “She pays attention to details and design. Using that background and looking to Diana for fashion inspiration makes perfect sense. For me, the linkage is that of an homage, a sign of respect or acknowledgement.”
When Prince William proposed to Kate in 2010, he presented her with his late mother's sapphire and diamond engagement ring. Princess Kate has been sporting the stunning jewelry on her finger ever since — and during a visit to Wales on Thursday, the royal revealed that she did not have to get the ring resized.
Diana and Camilla might have never had a close friendship, but when Charles and Diana started dating the pair were friendly with each other. At the time Camilla was married to Andrew Parker Bowles and had two children with him.
Despite the ups and downs in their relationship, William and Kate are still very much in love and committed to each other.
Gary, or Gan-Gan
According to royal correspondent Richard Kay, Prince William was encouraged to call her Granny as a child, but he couldn't quite get the hang of it. What he could manage, was Gary. Kay said: "On another occasion, the Queen was on hand after William fell over at Buckingham Palace, bawling: 'Gary, Gary'.