As we all know, a lot of things will change when Prince Charles becomes King. But, he won't be the only member of the Royal Family who has to get their head around a new Monarchy, as his ascension to the throne will also impact the likes of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
When the Queen sadly passes away and her son takes over as King, his son, Prince William, will also move up the line of succession. Currently, Prince Charles is known as the Prince of Wales, a title that'll be passed down to William when his father becomes Monarch. As such, this will also affect Kate Middleton's title – although, it's worth noting that she already has several titles, including the Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn and Lady Carrickfergus to name a few – which will technically become the Princess of Wales.
The title will likely be familiar to many, who will remember who held it last: Princess Diana. As the first wife of Prince Charles, Diana took on the title of Princess of Wales and the moniker became synonymous with her. It's no wonder then, that following her tragic death in 1997, Charles' second wife Camilla Parker Bowles opted not to inherit the title, out of respect for Princess Diana.
But, it's possible that Kate herself will take on the title when Charles becomes King, something which one royal expert believes will be 'bittersweet' for her husband. 'I’m sure it’ll be a bit of a bittersweet moment,' a source told The Telegraph. 'This is her [Diana's] son and his wife, so in some ways it will be coming full circle – but it will also be a poignant reminder of what we all lost.'
It wont be the only time the Duchess' title changes however, as she'll later pass on the Princess of Wales title when William takes over the throne. At this time, she'll likely be known as Queen Catherine – although officially she'll be Queen consort, as she doesn't have any royal blood herself but rather married into the family.
As for William and Kate's children, their eldest son Prince George will inherit the title of Prince of Wales after his father is crowned King. This means that, if he should one day marry a wife, she'd take on the title of Princess of Wales. Still following?
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Jade Biggs (she/her) is Cosmopolitan UK's Features Writer, covering everything from breaking news and latest royal gossip, to the health and fitness trends taking over your TikTok feed. She also works on first-person features and investigative long-reads, taking a deep-dive into mental health, celebrity culture and women's rights. Jade has been a journalist and content writer for ten years, and has interviewed leading researchers and doctors, high-profile influencers and fitness experts. She is a cat mum to four fur babies and is obsessed with Drag Race, bottomless brunches and wearing clothes only suitable for Bratz dolls. Follow her on Instagram or Twitter.
