Kate Middleton has been Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge since she married Prince William over a decade ago in 2011.
With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and ascension of King Charles III, Prince William and Kate have both been given new titles.
Next in line to the throne, Prince William has inherited his father’s title as the Prince of Wales. Kate has become the first Princess of Wales since the late Princess Diana.
So, what happens when William becomes king? Will Kate be Queen? Here’s everything you need to know.
Will Kate Middleton be Queen one day?
When Prince William becomes King, his wife Kate will become Queen, but not in the same way that Queen Elizabeth II was queen.
Kate, who will be the spouse of the ruling monarch whenever William ascends, will have the title Queen Consort.
The title of ‘consort’ refers simply to the spouse of a ruling monarch.
This is the title that Camilla holds now that Charles become King. The title was previously held by the Queen’s mother when King George VI was ruling.
So when William becomes King, it is likely that his wife will be known as Queen Consort or Queen Catherine.
If William is to die before Kate and their eldest son Prince George becomes king, Kate will then become the Queen Mother.
What titles does Kate Middleton currently have?
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Kate Middleton already had a handful of titles under Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. Now with Charles as King, she has been given a few more titles.
Here are all the titles that Kate Middleton currently holds:
The Duchess of Cambridge: This is the hereditary title which was bestowed by Queen Elizabeth II on Kate when she married Prince William.
The Countess of Strathearn: Kate’s initial title in Scotland, bestowed by the Queen upon her marriage to Prince William.
Lady Carrickfergus: Kate’s initial title in Northern Ireland, given to her upon her entry into the royal family by Queen Elizabeth II.
Princess of Wales: In his first address to the nation since the Queen’s passing, Charles confirmed that his previous title of Prince of Wales would be handed over to Prince William. Kate has become Princess of Wales, a title last held by Princess Diana and wasn’t given to Camilla out of respect.
Duchess of Cornwall: Prince William also becomes the Duke of Cornwall, which means Kate inherits the title of Duchess of Cornwall from now Queen Consort Camilla.
Kate Middleton already has a handful of titles thanks to being a casual member of the British royal family, and she has even more now that her father-in-law, Prince King Charles III, is the new monarch of England after Queen Elizabeth II’s passing. So how will Kate’s titles change and evolve once we enter the Charlesian Era*? Let’s dive in.
*Not a thing, trying to make it one, thanks.
First, a Refresher on Kate Middleton’s Titles When Queen Elizabeth Was Alive
Kate is technically a princess of the United Kingdom, but “princess” is her occupation, not her title. Her titles under the Queen’s rule were, however…
The Duchess of Cambridge: A hereditary title bestowed by Queen Elizabeth II on Kate when she married Prince William.
The Countess of Strathearn: Kate’s initial title in Scotland, also bestowed on her upon marriage to Prince William by the Queen.
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Lady Carrickfergus: Kate’s initial title in Northern Ireland, also given to her upon her entry into the royal family by Queen Elizabeth II.
The Titles Kate Gets Now That Charles Is King
Princess of Wales: Charles confirmed he is handing his previous title, Prince of Wales, over to Prince William. (The title is traditionally given to the heir apparent, aka Will.) This means Kate is the new Princess of Wales, a title last held by Princess Diana because Charles’s second wife, Duchess Camilla, chose not to use it out of respect.
Charles confirmed all this in his first speech as King Charles III, saying the following:
“As my heir, William now assumes the Scottish titles which have meant so much to me. He succeeds me as Duke of Cornwall and takes on the responsibilities for the Duchy of Cornwall, which I have undertaken for more than five decades. Today, I am proud to create him Prince of Wales, Tywysog Cymru, the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty. With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the center ground where vital help can be given.”
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While it is possible Kate could avoid using the title, royal experts seem to think she will use it. “It’s hard to see it not happening. I’m sure it’ll be a bit of a bittersweet moment,” a source told The Telegraph in January 2022. “This is her [Diana’s] son and his wife, so in some ways, it will be coming full circle—but it will also be a poignant reminder of what we all lost.”
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Duchess of Cornwall: William is also the Duke of Cornwall now that Charles is the King, as it’s also traditionally granted to the heir apparent. This makes Kate the new Duchess of Cornwall, a title that was previously held by Charles’s wife Camilla.
Duchess of Rothesay: Just like the Cornwall and Wales titles, the Scottish Rothesay title is typically held by the heir apparent, which means Will gets it, making Kate the Duchess of Rothesay (a title also formerly held by Camilla).
The Title Kate Will Get When *William* Is King
Queen! Freaking! Consort! She’ll likely go by Queen Catherine/Queen Kate to keep things simple though. If you aren’t familiar with what a queen consort is, we have a whole explainer on the different types of queens over here (there are a bunch), but basically, it’s the spouse of a ruling king. In other words, Kate will be called “queen,” but the addition of “consort” makes it clear she has no constitutional power and is a queen in title only.
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In conclusion: Kate’s titles are an ever-changing mood, but once she’s a queen, she’s pretty much peaked.