As heir to the throne, Prince William is due to become king when his father, King Charles III, dies. But what will his wife – the Princess of Wales – be known as when William becomes king?
What will Kate Middleton be known as when she becomes queen?
When Prince William becomes king, Catherine, Princess of Wales, will become known as Queen Catherine, or more formally, the Queen Consort – meaning she is the wife of a ruling king.
She will be crowned alongside William in the coronation and will support him in his reign as king, but will not be a reigning monarch herself. She will hold the same role as the current Queen Consort, Camilla.
Find out what the Prince of Wales will be known as when he is King here.
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What are Kate Middleton’s royal titles?
When Catherine Middleton married Prince William in 2011, she became a British princess by virtue of marriage, gaining the title of Royal Highness. At this point, she also gained the titles of Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn and Baroness Carrickfergus.
When King Charles III ascended to the throne in 2022, Catherine also became Duchess of Cornwall, as well as Duchess of Rothesay, Countess of Carrick, Baroness of Renfrew and Lady of the Isles – all of which are Scottish titles. Both William and Kate have maintained their Cambridge titles, but these will be recreated when/if William becomes King.
The following day, King Charles III appointed William as Prince of Wales, with Catherine also becoming Princess of Wales.
Find out where the couple might live when they become King and Queen here.
Who was the last Queen Catherine?
To find the last Queen Catherine we have to go back around 500 years, for Henry VIII sixth wife Katherine Parr. Henry's reign saw three Queen Catherines, Catherine of Aragon and Catherine Howard
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Top image: Catherine, Princess of Wales attends the 2025 National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph in London (credit: Getty Images)
