This post is essentially quite a short and informal yes/no guide to what the Duchess Of Cambridge’s actual titles are. We have been in conversation recently with a lot of people about what is correct form for Kate and where the line is drawn. We hope this short guide is helpful to anyone desiring to clear up once and for all any title misconceptions they had.
? Correct Form |
X Incorrect Form |
The Duchess Of Cambridge
Catherine, Duchess Of Cambridge Princess William The Countess Of Strathearn Baroness Carrickfergus Catherine Cambridge (Informal) Catherine Mountbatten-Windsor (Informal) Best Option: The Duchess Of Cambridge |
Princess Kate Kate Middleton Duchess Kate Princess Middleton Princess Catherine Lady Cambridge Worst Option: Kate Middleton |
Okay. The Duchess Of Cambridge hasn’t been a Middleton since her wedding day and officially has no surname now. Princess Kate is just wrong as the title of Princess is reserved for royalty by birth, however taking the female form of William’s title, Kate can be styled as Princess William. Duchess Kate is incorrect because there is a designation in her title, names don’t enter into it!
Kate, as well as being Duchess Of Cambridge, is known as The Countess Of Strathearn in Scotland and The Baroness Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland.
Play it safe and always try to refer to her as ‘The Duchess Of Cambridge’, if needed you can always call her ‘Kate Cambridge’ as a last resort, but don’t jump on the ‘Kate Middleton’ bandwagon – it undermines her position and title!
photo credit: Jason Simpson via photopin cc