From the moment Kate Middleton caught the world’s attention as Prince William’s girlfriend, connections have been made to his late mother, Princess Diana. From her coordinating style and jewellery to her royal duties, fans have long felt compelled to compare her to the beloved ‘People’s Princess’—a sentiment that was not lost on Middleton, apparently. According to a new biography, fears of living up to the iconic figure almost saw her reject the title of Princess of Wales upon King Charles III’s ascension to the throne.
“In marrying the elder son of Prince Charles, Catherine was aware she’d one day have to tread in her late mother-in-law’s footsteps—but the prospect of becoming the Princess of Wales held little appeal,” claims Robert Jobson in his new book, Catherine, the Princess of Wales. “She knew she’d inevitably be compared with Diana, whose untimely death had provoked such a tsunami of anger and grief. And she was right. The similarities and differences between the two women were dissected ad infinitum and even discussed in the royal household.”
“Kate found all such talk stressful,” Jobson continues. “Indeed, it got to the point where she felt she might follow Camilla (who opted to become Duchess of Cornwall) in refusing—when the time came—to be known as HRH Princess of Wales.”
Out of respect to Princess Diana, Camilla Parker Bowles famously opted out of the ‘princess’ title, instead choosing to be known as the Duchess of Cornwall when she married the then-Prince Charles in 2005—eight years after Diana’s tragic passing.
In 2022, after Queen Elizabeth II passed away, Camilla became Queen Consort to King Charles III. Prince William inherited further titles, including Duke of Cornwall and Prince of Wales—the title held by the heir to the throne—while Kate, in turn, adopted the titles Duchess of Cornwall and Princess of Wales.
Though she could have followed in Camilla’s footsteps and opted out of using the Wales title publicly—and according to Jobson, this was a serious consideration—the senior royal ultimately chose to accept the title, becoming the first to dust it off since 1997.
“Enough time had passed to make the title more palatable,” writes Jobson. “Catherine had been on the world stage long enough to be appreciated for her own qualities.”
This article first appeared on GRAZIA International.
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