Queen Elizabeth Denied Prince William's Request to Make Kate Middleton a Princess
"Kate is a commoner."


Following Queen Elizabeth II's death on September 8, 2022, King Charles III acceded the throne. Prince William and Kate Middleton subsequently gained new titles, becoming known as the Prince and Princess of Wales. But according to a new report, Prince William had hoped that his wife would be given the Princess title much earlier.
William and Kate tied the knot in a fairytale royal wedding ceremony on April 29, 2011. Speaking to The Telegraph, a royal courtier revealed that Prince William asked the Queen to make his wife a Princess upon their marriage.
Unfortunately, Queen Elizabeth denied his request, citing royal tradition as the reason. Instead, Kate and William became known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
"He says he was born Prince William and wants to continue to be known as that," the courtier explained. "William also had views on the name Kate should have taken on."
"He wants Kate to become Princess Catherine," the courtier continued. However, the decision of whether or not to make someone a Princess was entirely down to the monarch.
Kate Middleton and Queen Elizabeth at the 2019 RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London.
"Kate is a commoner and could not be known as 'Princess Catherine,'" the source told The Telegraph. "However, it is up to the Queen what title she gives her and there have been one or two exceptions."
"When Prince Henry, the Duke of Gloucester died, the Queen gave the Duchess of Gloucester the title Princess Alice," they revealed. "This was, though, to reward her for years of loyal service."
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
The courtier also speculated that the Queen wanted to avoid changing tradition, which could open the floodgates to many more requests from other royals.
"I should think that there will be some pressure put on him [William] not to change the system," the courtier told the outlet.
While William's original request was denied by the Queen, his wife has now received her formal Princess title. And one day in the future, of course, Princess Kate will become the Queen.
Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.
-
Why One Former Queen Was Held "Prisoner" at Kensington Palace
She was forbidden "from reading popular books" or walking "downstairs without holding someone's hand."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Dua Lipa Pairs Her Snakeskin Trench With a Chanel Bag
The pop star's new rules scream loud luxury.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Kate Middleton Refused to Abide by a 350-Year-Old Royal Tradition
She insisted on doing this one very important thing her way, according to a royal expert.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Kate Middleton Refused to Abide by a 350-Year-Old Royal Tradition on Her Wedding Day
She insisted on doing this one very important thing her way, according to a royal expert.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
The New Weekend Hobby Prince George and Prince Louis Are Currently Obsessed With
"At weekends, we go from one competition to the next," Prince William revealed.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Why Princess Kate and Prince William "May Need a Referee" Amid Major Differing Opinions
Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis could get caught in the middle, according to one royal expert.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Princess Kate Might Miss an Important Family Milestone Involving Sister Pippa Middleton
The Princess of Wales's schedule may have forced her to make a difficult decision.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Prince William Says He's "Trying Not to Be Biased" When It Comes to His Kids and This "Passionate" Choice
He's fine with Prince George, Prince Charlotte and Prince Louis making their own decisions.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
7 Times the Royal Family Broke Queen Elizabeth's More Understated "Rule"
These royal women are doing it their way.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Prince William Admits He Has a Secret Online Habit: "I Get Quite Into It"
"I can be on there for ages."
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Prince William Could be Getting a New Title Very Soon Following Exciting News
The Prince of Wales would be taking on a very important role.
By Kristin Contino Published