Why Kate Middleton’s New Title Shows She Is Queen Elizabeth’s ‘Favorite’

Kate Middleton has received a brand-new addition to her royal title, and it’s being hinted that the decision to give her an important honor is a sign that Queen Elizabeth may like her a little more than her other granddaughter-in-law, Meghan Markle.

According to Express UK, Middleton’s recent honor of being made a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, which was given to her on her eighth wedding anniversary to Prince William, is a sign that the Queen has respect for the future Queen Consort, because the award shows she holds her in high opinion.

The award is believed to have been given in recognition of the Duchess of Cambridge’s work since officially joining the royal family in 2011. Furthermore, the award is given personally by the Queen and the decision of who receives it is made solely at her discretion, not on the recommendation of Parliamentary officials.

The title allows the Duchess of Sussex to have the letters GCVO after her name and also entitles her to wear a blue sash during some royal occasions.

However, while it’s been indicated that the title is a way for the Queen to express favoritism towards Middleton, it’s worth noting she has also bestowed the honor on other women in the family before, including Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex. While Markle hasn’t yet received the title, she is also new to the royal family and could receive it at a later date, similarly to how it took eight years before Middleton earned the prestigious honor.

The Queen also likely isn’t expressing any favoritism at all, as she was also spotted recently paying the Duchess of Sussex a visit at her home, Frogmore Cottage, ahead of the birth of her first baby.

However, some also believe that the title is a way to bring positive PR spin back to the family, especially after a flurry of reports hit the internet to suggest that Prince William had cheated on his wife with her former friend, Rose Hanbury. After news broke of the award’s honor, some royal family watchers took to social media to claim that the award was meant to help “cover-up” William’s affair and give her a “consolation prize” for his actions.