Will Kate Middleton Take This Surprising Title?

She has been the Duchess of Cambridge since her 2011 wedding to Prince William and will one day be his Queen Consort after he takes the throne. However, there is one other title Kate Middleton has the option of taking in between her time as a Duchess and future Queen—the Princess of Wales.

Middleton and everyone else in the royal family will see their titles change as they shuffle up the line of succession after Queen Elizabeth dies and Prince Charles takes the throne. When he becomes King, Prince William will become the Prince of Wales and also inherit the Duchy of Cornwall—but the change gives Middleton the opportunity to take on the title of Princess of Wales as well, which holds major significance.

If Kate were to take the title, she would be the first to hold it since William’s late mother, Princess Diana, since Camilla Parker Bowles opted to take on Duchess of Cornwall in honor of Charles’ secondary title when they wed in 2005. She declined the opportunity to become the Princess of Wales out of respect for Diana.

As for whether or not Middleton will accept the role, she isn’t obliged to take it if she doesn’t want to, but according to Express UK, it is believed she won’t likely turn down the title which aligns with her husband’s own.

In fact, it may be seen as a huge honor is she steps into the role, meaning it stayed with women whom William holds in the highest regard—his mother and his wife.

Of course, regardless of whichever title she takes, it doesn’t mean that life will always be easy for Middleton or her husband as they ascend up the line of succession in the next several years. In fact, the Succession Act of 2013 may put them in an awkward position when William eventually becomes King, because of the rule that states anyone within six places of the throne must request permission to marry a chosen partner.

For the couple, who have three children, it could prove awkward when it comes to keeping things fair for all of their kids, or, potentially, their future grandchildren, because of where they will also fall in line. Prince George’s children will knock any children Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis have, as well as his siblings themselves, farther down the line, and could keep them all on the other side of the six-person divide.

As a result, it’s been believed that an attempt to try and be fair to at least the children they have already could keep the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge from expanding their family any further.