Why Was Diana A Princess But Duchess Kate Is Not?
For many people, the UK Royal Family and their titles can be quite confusing. And there is one particular dilemma that baffles everyone across the globe- Why Kate Middleton isn’t called a princess when Princess Diana was?
When Kate Middleton joined the Royal Family when she and Prince William tied the knot on 29 April 2011, she hasn’t been made a Princess. Still, she adopted another fancy title: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge.
And this is not the only title she holds. When in Northern Ireland, she is known as Lady Carrickfergus. When in Scotland she is known as the Countess of Strathearn.
But Kate doesn’t hold the title Princess. Actually neither did Princess Diana. Typically the princess title is reserved for biological descendants of the reigning monarch.
Diana wasn’t a direct relative of the Queen and yet was known as Princess Diana. This was never her official title, but it was given to her unofficially by members of the public because of how beloved she was.
Diana’s official title upon marrying Prince Charles Of Wales on July 29 1981 was actually Her Royal Highness The Princess Of Wales. She was also known as Diana, Princess Of Wales.
To use the Princess title officially, Diana would have been Princess Charles, taking the title from her husband.
Metro notes that Diana “may have had Princess within her full name, it was never her formal title, which would require Princess coming first, followed by her first name, much like Princess Charlotte”.
Prince William was born His Royal Highness Prince William Of Wales and is referred to as Prince William. But on his wedding day, Queen Elizabeth II gifted him a new title – the Duke Of Cambridge. This is why Kate is The Duchess Of Cambridge, instead of having ‘Princess’ within her title.