Kate Middleton is the first royal to bear the title Princess of Wales since Diana Spencer. Charles announced Prince William and Kate as the new Prince and Princess of Wales, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge, during his first public address as king.
She is, however, not the first person to have this choice. Camilla Parker Bowles became Princess of Wales when she married Charles in 2005.
Camilla, though, decided not to use the title, rather going by the title Duchess of Cornwall. Her name was titled HRH The Duchess of Cornwall until she became queen consort upon the death of the queen in September 2022.
Now, Kate must assume a title that has so many previous associations: Princess Diana was a popular person, and her death in a car accident in 1997 shook the globe.
Till recently, Kate has paid tribute to her late mother-in-law in discreet ways, like through design statements and the wearing of her sapphire engagement ring.
After the official title change, Kate is attempting to claim the title of Princess of Wales. According to a royal spokesman, the Princess of Wales recognises the heritage connected with this post, but will understandably wish to look forward as she forges her own path.
By doing so, Kate and William distance themselves from their predecessors, Charles and Diana.
Charles and Diana divorced in 1992, with facts of their marriage leaking out in on-the-record interviews with both royals and one well-known tell-all memoir. They divorced in 1996, a year before she died.
The pair’s long-term goal is to earn the confidence and respect of the people of Wales. The Prince and Princess of Wales will tackle their positions in the same respectful and polite manner in which they have handled their prior work, the spokesman added.
