How come some people are already calling her Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, when she isn't divorced yet?

Question

Isn't she The Duchess of Cambridge until then?

(like Sarah was The Duchess of York until getting divorced and being Sarah, Duchess of York.

Answer 1

Isn't it amazing how so many self-considered experts can't get it right? For those who are interested, her full title is HRH The Princess William, Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn, Baroness Carrickfergus.



Of course you are totally correct - "Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge" is what she would be if she were divorced, same as Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of York.



This isn't widely understood and that's why you get the errors.

Answer 2

The general public has a tendency to refer to royals with abbreviated and often wrong styles.



Remember that until very recently was still called "Kate Middleton" by the press, even if she was

legally a princess and a royal duchess.



Even if "Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge" indeed refers to divorced woman, given the imminent happiness in her marriage following the birth of their first child I do not see even a atom of evidence for such an occasion.

Answer 3

You have asked so many versions of this question. The answer remains the same Catherine's PROPER titles and stylings are HRH, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn, Baroness Carrickfergus, the Princess William of Wales. She uses her highest-ranking title, which means she is a princess and peeress, higher in status than being solely a princess.



Sarah Ferguson is no longer an HRH, nor THE Duchess of York. As a divorced woman, she is Sarah, Duchess of York. Only the woman who is currently married to the Duke of York is HRH, The Duchess of York.

Answer 4

What ARE you talking about? Catherine and William are the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Divorce doesn't come into any of this!!! Diana lost her HRH status on her divorce but right now, I see no divorce on the horizon with this couple. The HRH is just left off in most reporting, for convenience. In these days of texting, EVERYTHING is abbreviated.

Answer 5

Long story short, people are stupid. If you want to include her name in her title, it should really be HRH Catherine, THE Duchess of Cambridge since she is the only one. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge would mean that at one time she was THE DoC but her husband as remarried and there is a new DoC or her husband died. So yes, she is HRH The Duchess of Cambridge.

Answer 6

Catherine isn't part of her official title because she wasn't a Princesses before her marriage. It has nothing to do with marriage or divorce. Her official title is: Her Royal Highness (HRH) The Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn and Lady Carrickfergus. As a Prince before marriage, William is His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis, Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn along with additional titles.



While Diana was often referred to as Princess Diana, it was never her title before or after her marriage to Prince Charles. Prior to her marriage, she was Lady Diana Frances Spencer. While married, she was Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales. Since divorce among the British royalty was so uncommon, Diana's post marriage title was part of her divorce settlement. She agreed to Diana, Princess of Wales giving up Her Royal Highness (HRH). There were some reports that Diana gave up the HRH for a larger financial settlement but those could be rumors. Queen Elizabeth offered to reinstate Diana's HRH status after her death but Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, refused to accept it. Many people think once King, William will reinstate his mother's status to HRH.



Sarah Ferguson accepted a similar arrangement (without much of a financial settlement) through her divorce agreement and went from HRH The Duchess of York to Sarah, Duchess of York. Without her children, Sarah and a commoner who brough t disgrace to the Royal Family it is most likely Sarah won't have received any title. However, as the mother of 5th and 6th in the line of succession, it was determine she would keep Duchess of York. This new practice of adding the woman's name before a title was adapted to recent divorces among the British Royal Family. Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of York may have set a precedent for future royal divorces but that remains to be seen. Hopefully, the newly married and yet-to-be married young royals learned from the mistakes made by HRH Prince Charles of Wales and Prince Andrew (HRH The Duke of York).



Another example is Princess Michael of Kent. Baroness Marie Christine married Prince Michael of Kent. As the third child of George V's fourth son, a minor royal, he wasn't given any additional titles upon his marriage. They are the HRH(s) Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. They have no royal duties except to represent the British Royal Family at the marriage of minor royals worldwide.



I re-confirmed my answer, While the Palace has been pushing Kate to be referred as HRH The Duchess of Cambridge, she is also HRH Princess William. She is not HRH Princess Catherine.

Answer 7

Blood royals have their title before their name. Those who marry in have it after.



Diana for example was called HRH Diana, Princess of Wales and would often correct those who called her Princess Diana.



Beatrix and Eugenie are blood royals so they are HRH Princess Beatrice, and HRH Princess Eugenie.



Catherine is HRH Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge or Princess William.



In a way, because she has such a long title most still call her Kate Middleton. So a good abbreviation is Catherine of Cambridge.



After divorce they loose the HRH, like Sarah did. But their title remains.

Answer 8

People call her Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge because they have seen a style used elsewhere and decided to apply it to a new situation without understanding the nuances. I am embarrassed for them, especially when they use their incorrect assumptions to "correct" other people.

Answer 9

Do you have the right person. The Duchess of Cambridge (Catherine), the wife of Prince William, was never married before. Her first marriage and only marriage is to Prince William and they just had a child, named Prince George.

Answer 10

Her name is Catherine, and her title is Duchess of Cambridge. So, people put them together, which is entirely correct. It's like saying "Dr. John Smith," or "The Reverend Sally Jones." Or, even Miss Catherine Middleton (as she used to be), which includes her former title (Miss), and name.

Answer 11

I really don't think they will ever get divorced,ever. they were together for nearly a decade before marrying and even if William is unfaithful,Kate will look the other way.

Answer 12

If she were diivioce ,she would be not be duthcess anymore...Only if she was widowed Katherine ,Dutchess of Cambridge............or Katherine Consurt to establish who she is amoung the world medias attention.