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Can we please stop calling her ‘Kate Middleton’?

I have a few pet peeves in life – people who eat with their mouth open (or no table manners in general), slow walkers in front of me, and when the Duchess of Cambridge gets called ‘Kate Middleton’.

While I fully understand that those who are not royal watchers will get it wrong, major publications have no excuse. This year will be the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s 5th wedding anniversary so it is about time we all get her name right!

Catherine or Kate ceased to be ‘Kate Middleton’ on April 29, 2011, the day she married Prince William. The couple were then granted the titles the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. When most couples get married the wife takes her husband’s surname, the same went for their marriage. The official web page for the Royal Family states William’s last name as Mountbatten-Windsor, although in the past, including school, he was enrolled as ‘William Wales’ after taking the ‘Wales’ from his father’s title – Prince of Wales. The website also explains that those with the “style and dignity of HRH Prince or Princess do not need a surname” but when needed like the case of marriage, Mountbatten-Windsor is used. So currently, Catherine could use Cambridge or Mountbatten-Windsor for a surname if ever needed.

Having no use for a last name makes sense because how many times have you said Prince William and someone has said “who?” in reply?Duchess_of_Cambridge_June_2013

Which brings me to another point, Kate is not ‘Princess Kate’ either.  Confusion struck when on Prince George’s birth certificate Kate’s profession was listed as ‘Princess of the United Kingdom’, yet as Royal Central explored in the past she takes the female form of her husband’s title becoming “Princess William”. Even though William might be granted the Prince of Wales title when his father Prince Charles is crowned King, Kate would once again only adopt the title ‘HRH Princess of Wales’ still not making her ‘Princess Kate’ but just ‘Catherine, HRH Princess of Wales’. This is the same as Diana, who was never ‘Princess Diana’ that was just what the media and public called her, not her actual title.

This discussion has been had many times by different outlets, unfortunately sometimes getting it wrong. So can we please finally settle this once and for all, if you like to refer to her call her ‘Duchess of Cambridge’. If you really must add princess in there you could call her “Princess William” but that is really only correct when using her full title.

So now I have this off my chest I will sleep better tonight knowing that hopefully, at least, someone will get it right- Mum that includes you!

Photo Credit: “Duchess of Cambridge June 2013” by Carfax2 – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Duchess_of_Cambridge_June_2013.jpg#/media/File:Duchess_of_Cambridge_June_2013.jpg

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