Prince William is currently second-in-line for the throne, behind his father Prince Charles. As is customary for royals on their wedding days, Prince William was given
the title of Duke of Cambridge when he married in 2011. His new wife Kate Middleton subsequently became the Duchess of Cambridge.
While many may think Kate will become Queen when William ascends the throne, this is not entirely accurate. Our current Queen, Queen Elizabeth II, was born a Princess in her own right and was herself directly in-line for the throne. Unlike the Queen, Kate has married into the Royal Family.
Therefore like all spouses of British reigning monarchs, Kate will technically be known as Queen Consort. There are certain rules in the Royal Family regarding the titles of royal husbands and wives. When a Queen marries, it is customary for their husbands to be known as Prince Consort. Queen Victoria’s husband Albert was given this title in the 19th Century, and it is now the title held by the current Queen Elizabeth’s husband, Prince Philip.
Is Kate, Duchess of Cambridge technically a Princess?
When a person marries into the Royal Family, they often take their partner’s title. Meghan Markle became the Duchess of Sussex after marrying Prince Harry in 2018, while Sophie Rhys-Jones became Sophie, Countess of Wessex after marrying Prince Edward in 1999.
Upon her marriage to Prince Charles, Lady Diana Spencer became Diana, Princess of Wales. Some royal fans have wondered why Princess Diana became a Princess after her marriage to Prince Charles, but Kate Middleton did not become Princess Kate after her marriage to Prince William. In actuality through her marriage to Prince William, Kate is technically a Princess.
On her children’s birth certificates, Kate’s occupation is listed as ‘Princess of the United Kingdom’. But usually, in the Royal Family, the public use of the title of Prince or Princess is reserved for royals born into the Royal Family. For this reason Kate’s daughter Charlotte is known publicly as a Princess and Kate is not, although she is married to a Prince.
And in the case of Princess Diana, she was not technically a Princess in the official sense. Diana was known by the public and the media as Princess Diana, but her official title was Diana, Princess of Wales, through her marriage to the Prince of Wales. The Queen can grant Princess titles to those not born automatically as Princesses, but this is rare in the Royal Family.