It is a protocol within the royal family for the female spouse of a male that takes the throne to be given the designation of the title ‘Queen Consort’ and not the outright ‘Queen’, as is the case with Queen Elizabeth II. This will be the case for Prince Charles‘ wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, when her husband takes the throne following the Queen’s reign.
However, royal experts have revealed that the situation might be a bit different for Kate Middleton, Prince William‘s wife, when it’s William’s time to become King of England.
When Prince William and Kate first began dating in the early 2000s, there was much doubt that Middleton would be able to handle the pressure associated with being a member of the royal family. However, nine years later and with three children, Middleton has proven that she’s up for the task and has done so brilliantly.
Her maturity and grace through which she’s operated have led her to be in a very positive light, at least in regards to the public’s perception, and Queen Elizabeth II, herself.
With Middleton proving that she can handle the royal duties and do so in a professional manner, many people are believing there might be some exceptions coming for the Duchess of Cambridge when Prince William takes the throne. And it all comes down to how the media perceives her.
Royal experts Zoe Burrell and Angela Mollard dished on their thoughts on Middleton and how she has shown she’s more than capable of being a queen and the responsibilities associated with the title designation.
“We are now going to see Kate grow in a way we never saw Princess Diana grow,” Mollard said. “We never saw her reach that maturity and I think Kate is doing brilliantly. She has got three children, she never puts a foot wrong and she is being imaginative with her dresses.”
“Camilla will be Queen consort as will Kate actually, she won’t be called Queen Camilla,” Mollard continued. “However, I think there is a lot more chance that under casual fashion we will call Kate, Queen Kate or Queen Catherine.”
While Middleton’s official title will always be ‘Queen Consort’ during Prince William’s tenure as king, there is some historical precedent to back up the notion that she’ll be referred to as ‘Queen Catherine’ or ‘Queen Kate’.
When Princess Diana exchanged her vows with Prince Charles in 1981, she was called a princess by the media, despite her official title being ‘Diana, Princess of Wales’. The moniker even stuck with her following the divorce proceedings.
We’ll have to wait and see, though. But if one was to put their money on it, the title of ‘Queen Catherine’ sounds like a solid bet for when Prince William takes the throne, at least according to the public and the media.