No, Kate Middleton is not officially a princess. She is the wife of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, who is second in line to the British throne. As a member of the British royal family, Kate Middleton holds the titled of Princess of the United Kingdom, which is the feminine form of her husband’s title, Prince of the United Kingdom.
However, this is an honorary and not an official title, so she is not an officially recognized and titled Princess.
Why is Kate a duchess and not a Princess?
Kate Middleton is the Duchess of Cambridge because of her husband’s position and not because of hers. She married Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, in 2011 and was given the title of Duchess of Cambridge by the Queen.
In British aristocracy, the wife of a duke shares in the rank of her husband and is legally referred to as “Duchess.” While she is the wife of the future King of England, she is not a Princess because Princess is a specific title that must be bestowed by the Monarch.
Although, she has been known to refer to herself as Princess Catherine and Prince William Prince William sometimes refers to her as Princess Kate.
What is Princess Kate’s official title?
Princess Kate’s official title is Her Royal Highness (HRH) The Duchess of Cambridge. She is styled as Her Royal Highness as she is in direct line of succession and married into the Royal Family. Prior to marriage, Kate Middleton was Miss Kate Middleton and during her engagement period, she was referred to by the titles of Miss Middleton or Miss Catherine Middleton.
Kate took the title of Duchess of Cambridge following her marriage to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and together they have three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis of Cambridge.
Will Kate be a Princess when William is king?
When Prince William becomes king, Kate will become Queen Consort. This means that she will take the female equivalent of the title of His Royal Highness, rather than the title of Princess, which is usually reserved for female children of the monarch or for the children of a male heir to the throne.
In other words, she won’t technically be a Princess but she will have the official title of Queen Consort. Additionally, the children of Prince William and Kate will then be styled as Prince and Princess of the United Kingdom, with the eldest child directly in line to inherit the throne.
Will Camilla have to Curtsey to Kate?
When Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, is in the presence of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, she will need to curtsey to show her respect. Camilla holds the title of Princess of Wales, while Catherine holds the title of Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cambridge.
As such, Camilla must curtsey to show her respect for Catherine’s position. This is a traditional and accepted form of etiquette in the British Royal Family.
When Camilla married Prince Charles after the death of Princess Diana, she was given the title of Princess of Wales. This title is traditionally bestowed upon the wife of the Prince of Wales and is second only to the Queen’s title of Her Majesty.
As Camilla is not the wife of the King, she is required to curtsey to the higher ranking royals, such as the Queen, Prince Philip and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.
Does Harry have to bow to William?
No, Harry does not have to bow to William. Harry and William are members of the British Royal Family, and in the U.K., bowing and curtseying to members of the Royal Family is a sign of respect. As brothers, Harry and William would not be expected to bow to one another and would instead greet each other with a handshake or a hug.
Even when interacting with the Queen, bowing or curtseying is not actually an officially required gesture, but more of a tradition upheld by members of the public.
Will Kate be queen or queen consort?
It is important to understand the difference in what a Queen and a Queen Consort is. A Queen is the ruler of a country and is appointed by birth or marriage. A Queen Consort is the wife of a reigning King.
In the case of Kate Middleton, it is unlikely that she will become a Queen. This is because at present, she is married to Prince William, the second in line to the throne behind his father, Charles, the Prince of Wales.
This means that Charles will become King, and thus Kate would be the Queen Consort.
It is possible, however, that if Charles abdicates or dies before William, Kate could become Queen. This is because as the wife of the King, her position as Queen would be automatically conferred upon her.
She would become the ruler of the country and as such, would be responsible for the United Kingdom.
However, it is important to remember that it is unlikely Kate will become Queen during her lifetime, as Charles is still very much alive and well. As such, she will likely remain Queen Consort to William when they ascend to the throne.