Kate Middleton, Duchess Of Cambridge Might Not Become The Queen After All

Following her wedding to Prince William in 2011, Kate Middleton officially assumed the title of Duchess of Cambridge. Understandably, this led fans of the royal family to assume that one day, she would become Queen as William is second in line to the British royal throne after Prince Charles. However, this may not be the case after all.

According to Express, if William does one day become King, Kate will be given a new title that comes with additional responsibilities. She will not receive the title of Queen because that is reserved only for people who are born into the family.

Instead, Kate would be named the Queen Consort, which is the appropriate title for women whose husbands are ruling kings. This would also be accompanied by her own coronation to honor the occasion, along with being crowned with a headpiece worn by the late Queen Mother, according to Express. The event would be similar to the King's in nature but not in size and would shift the Duchess up a tier in terms of prominence.

She would also obtain the same social rank and status as the King himself. However, Kate would not hold the same political and military power as William would. Additionally, it is the belief that if she does receive this new title that she would continue to make appearances both with William and individually in order to fulfill royal duties.

This title differs from the one held by Queen Elizabeth II, as she is a queen regnant. This title makes Queen Elizabeth II a monarch in her own right, which includes specific powers.

An insider told Us Weekly that the Queen has already begun "intense one-on-one training" with Kate in order to introduce her to the role's expectations. "The two of them will often spend hours discussing royal life and the future of the monarchy," the source revealed.

Only time will tell if and how Kate assumes the title, but another source suggested that she is preparing quite nicely for the potential transition, saying, "It's taken a long time for Kate to get to where she is today, but she's ready."