How Camilla Parker Bowles Ruined Prince William’s Plan To Change Kate Middleton’s Title

Marrying into the royal family isn’t an easy task, but Prince William wanted to make sure Kate Middleton had a smooth transition into her new life. While Kate was given the Duchess of Cambridge title after her wedding to William, the groom wanted her to have a prestigious title like his mother, Princess Diana.

However, since Kate was considered a commoner when she married Prince William, she was not called Princess Catherine. An unearthed article suggested Prince Charles’ wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, maybe the reason why Kate has remained a Duchess rather than a Princess.

In May 2011, Richard Eden and Rosa Nikkhah published an article in The Telegraph, in which they described Prince William’s struggle to change Kate’s royal title.

“A commoner by birth, Miss Kate Middleton became Her Royal Highness Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, on her marriage to the second in line to the throne. But the title, as with other women marrying into the Royal Family, is a courtesy rather than a right,” the reporters wrote.

“Although the Prince’s spokesman said he was ‘honored’ to become the Duke of Cambridge, he had let it be known that he would prefer to remain Prince William and for his wife to become ‘Princess Catherine.’”

Rather than address William’s issue directly, the palace attempted to meet the Prince half-way. “In an attempt to get around the issue, the Palace let it be known that people who wanted to call Catherine ‘Princess’ were welcome to do so,” the article explained.

However, the palace wouldn’t refer to Kate as Princess Catherine out of fear of offending Camilla. Despite her marriage to Princess Charles, Camilla used her Duchess of Cornwall title. Although she could have used the Princess of Wales title, she opted to use the other title out of respect for Princess Diana, following her death.

“Fears of offending Prince Charles’ second wife and demoting her in the Royal hierarchy apparently led to the decision not to make Prince William’s bride a Princess,” the article revealed.

In the end, Prince William was not able to secure the Princess title for Kate. Even though she is still a member of the royal family, the Duchess of Cambridge title means she has to curtsy when she runs into her in-laws.