Kate Middleton's Potential Title Change Could Present This Challenge For Prince William, Expert Theorizes

It's becoming more apparent that roles are changing in the royal family. With Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II being forced to scale down on duties following health concerns and Prince Phillip gone, senior royals, including Prince William and Kate Middleton, are taking on bigger responsibilities, ushering in a new era.

"[William and Kate] are looking forward to starting fresh in the New Year. We'll be seeing a transition of responsibility — they're taking on additional charity work, attending more events and making appearances," a source told Us Weekly. "There's even a royal tour in the works, and of course they're heavily involved in the Platinum Jubilee."

But, apart from a change in the job description, Kate Middleton, who just celebrated her 40th birthday, is also gearing up to inherit a new royal title: Princess of Wales, the same title that Camilla Parker Bowles currently holds, but isn't using. And apparently, if Kate manages to inherit the title, it could potentially put Prince William in some type of emotional distress.

When Prince Charles eventually ascends to the throne and assumes the role of the king, it's up to him to pass on his old title to both Prince William and Kate Middleton. In the event that he does, the couple will no longer be the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge; they will become the Prince and Princess of Wales. Kate will essentially have Princess Diana's old title, which experts say may affect Prince William profoundly, at least emotionally.

"It's hard to see it not happening. I'm sure it'll be a bit of a bittersweet moment," the source told Express. "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." While Camilla Parker Bowles currently holds the title, she doesn't use it as a sign of respect to the late Diana. But that might not be the case for Kate, seeing as she has always honored — and even embodied — Diana.

With Kate assuming bigger roles as part of the royal family, experts are beginning to draw comparisons between her and her husband's late mother. It turns out that, like Diana, she also has her way with people. "She is patient, and has the ability to listen," royal expert Ingrid Seward told The Mirror. "And she has discovered she has this ability with people, she is very good with the very young and the very old. That is like Diana was."