Did Prince William Really Want To Officially Change Kate Middleton's Name?
Kate Middleton met Prince William while the two were in college at St. Andrews University in Scotland. According to USA Today, both Kate and William were studying art history at the time. They became friends first, before they showed a romantic interest in one another. "We moved in together as friends because we were living together, we lived with a couple of others as well, and it just sort of blossomed from there really," William said in an engagement interview (via YouTube).
Growing up in Bucklebury, Berkshire, Kate may have never imagined that she would end up marrying the future king of England. But when William proposed in Kenya, her life changed forever. All eyes have been on the Kate for more than a decade, and she has really come into her own over the years. She married William on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey in front of nearly 2,000 guests, according to The Knot. The report also indicates that some 23 million viewers tuned in to watch Kate marry into the royal family.
Queen Elizabeth decided to bestow new titles on the couple, who became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge upon exchanging vows. However, it seems that William was hoping for a different title for his wife altogether — one that ultimately wasn't honored by the queen.
Prince William reportedly had an opinion on his wife's name and royal title
Before Prince William and Kate Middleton married, William reportedly wanted his wife to be given the title of "princess," according to The Telegraph. "He wants Kate to become Princess Catherine," a source told the outlet. But that wasn't possible, in keeping with tradition and royal protocol. "Kate is a commoner and could not be known as 'Princess Catherine,'" royal historian Kenneth Rose told the Telegraph. "However, it is up to the queen what title she gives her and there have been one or two exceptions. When Prince Henry, the Duke of Gloucester died, the Queen gave the Duchess of Gloucester the title Princess Alice. This was, though, to reward her for years of loyal service," Rose explained. Moreover, if Queen Elizabeth agreed to give Kate the title of "princess," she and William wouldn't have become the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Of course, Kate's title is only temporary anyway. According to Marie Claire, William will become the Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay when his father, Prince Charles, becomes king. Kate's royal titles will follow suit. And, when William becomes king, Kate is set to become Queen Catherine, according to Town and Country. It will be interesting to see how the world adapts to Queen Catherine, as she's been commonly referred to as Kate for years — Queen Kate seems to fit, doesn't it?