The Short Answer
No, Kate will not become a princess when Charles becomes king. Kate’s official title is Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. She received the title Duchess of Cambridge when she married Prince William in 2011. William was made the Duke of Cambridge by his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II on his wedding day, so Kate took her husband’s dukedom as her own title.
Why Kate Is Not a Princess
Kate is not a princess because she was not born into the royal family. She was born Catherine Middleton to non-royal parents. Typically, only those born into the royal family hold prince or princess titles. For example, William and Harry are princes because they were born to Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Kate can only receive a princess title if the monarch bestows it upon her.
When William becomes king, he will likely give Kate the title Princess of Wales, which was held by William’s mother Diana when Charles was Prince of Wales. But Kate will not automatically become a princess simply because her husband will be king. The title must be granted to her by the reigning monarch.
Kate’s Current Title
Currently, Kate’s proper title is Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge. The HRH comes from being a member of the royal family. The Duchess of Cambridge part comes from her husband William being the Duke of Cambridge. Typically, dukes or duchesses outrank princes and princesses, excluding the heir to the throne. So Kate holds an extremely high noble title already.
Being the Duchess of Cambridge means Kate holds the feminine equivalent title to her husband’s Duke of Cambridge title. She will continue to be Duchess of Cambridge until William becomes king. At that time, he will likely grant her the traditional title of the monarch’s oldest son’s wife, the Princess of Wales title. But her becoming Princess of Wales still does not make her an actual princess.
Why Was Diana a Princess?
William’s late mother Diana held the title Princess of Wales when married to Charles. But she was not originally a princess either. Diana was born into an aristocratic family but was not royalty. She gained the title Princess of Wales when she married the Prince of Wales, Charles. Had Charles not been the Prince of Wales, Diana would have taken on a duchess title from Charles, similar to Kate’s Duchess of Cambridge title.
Diana was often informally referred to as Princess Diana. But her official title was Diana, Princess of Wales, to indicate she was princess by marriage not birth. Upon her death, she could no longer use the Princess of Wales title since she was no longer married to the Prince of Wales.
Does Being Queen Make Kate a Princess?
When William becomes king, Kate will become queen consort. But being queen still does not make her a princess. She will be queen by marriage, not a queen regnant who reigns in her own right. The title queen gives her a higher rank than if she was a princess. But just like being Duchess of Cambridge now, she derives her queen title from her husband’s role as king.
So Kate will be queen consort when William is king, but she will not be Princess Kate. The only way for Kate to officially become Princess Catherine is if the reigning monarch grants her the title. If William wants to make his wife Princess Catherine after he becomes king, he has the power to do so. But Kate does not automatically receive the princess title from William becoming king.
Will Kate Ever Be Princess of Wales?
It is expected that William will grant Kate the traditional Princess of Wales title once he becomes Prince of Wales upon Charles’ accession. This will likely happen within the first few years of Charles taking the throne, as he allows William to assume more royal duties in preparation for becoming king.
Assuming William upholds royal tradition, Kate will eventually hold the Princess of Wales title that was held by William’s late mother Diana. Princess Charlotte, the daughter of William and Kate, could also eventually hold the Princess of Wales title if she marries a future Prince of Wales.
Royal Titles When William Is King
When Prince William becomes king, the royal titles will shift for him and Kate. Here is what can be expected:
William
- Title now: His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge
- Future title: His Majesty The King
Kate
- Title now: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge
- Future title: Her Majesty The Queen Consort
William will become King William V, while Kate will be Queen Catherine, the queen consort. Their eldest son Prince George is expected to eventually inherit the Prince of Wales title.
Conclusion
In summary, Kate Middleton will not automatically become Princess Catherine when her father-in-law Charles ascends the throne. She is currently Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, by marriage. When William becomes king, she will become queen consort but not gain the princess title. The only way for Kate to officially become Princess Catherine is if the monarch bestows the princess title upon her. But being queen outranks being a princess, so Kate does not necessarily need the princess title. Her eventual expected future title will be Queen Catherine.