Princess Kate reportedly informed her close friends that she would be adopting a new name before getting engaged to Prince William, as revealed by a royal expert.
The future queen was said to have wanted a more regal moniker, moving away from the informal “Kate,” and humorously emailed her pals about the change.
In a new biography about the royal mom of three, Robert Jobson claims that this name change happened in 2008 as speculation about the couple’s engagement intensified.
She allegedly told her inner circle that she would now be known as “Catherine” instead of “Kate.”
Jobson wrote: “It was unclear whether she disliked being called ‘Kate’ or if it was part of a larger preparation for her formal public role as Prince William’s future wife, but it seems she genuinely wanted to go by her full name.”
The name change “only fueled the speculation” that Prince William was about to propose, Jobson claims.
William eventually proposed in 2010, and they married in April 2011 in a fairytale wedding watched by millions around the world.
Following their nuptials, Kate became formally known as Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.
She held this title until September 2022, when she was given the new title of Princess of Wales, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Previously, Princess Diana held this title.
Prince Harry discussed Kate’s name in his memoir *Spare*, claiming that King Charles had asked her to change the spelling of her name.
He claimed the monarch wanted Catherine to be changed to Katherine to avoid confusion with Charles or Camilla.
Harry explained: “This was because there were already two Royal cyphers with the letter C in them, and they didn’t want another.
“There were already two royal cyphers with a C and a crown above: Charles and Camilla. It would be too confusing to have another.
“They suggested making it Katherine with a K.”
Harry recalled looking at Prince William for his reaction to the name change suggestion.
He added: “I turned to Willy and gave him a look that said, ‘You listening to this?’ His face was blank.”
Kate ultimately used her preferred spelling of the name for her official title, although many still refer to her informally as Princess Kate.
Inside Prince William and Kate Middleton’s relationship – in their words
After years of dating, Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their engagement on November 16, 2010.
Prince William revealed in their BBC interview that he knew from the start that Kate was different from others.
He said in their engagement interview: “From my point of view, when I first met Kate, I knew there was something very special about her.”
When asked what drew them together, it turns out her “naughty sense of humor” was the deciding factor.
He said: “She’s got a really naughty sense of humor, which really helps me because I’ve got a really dirty sense of humor, so it was good fun. We had a really good laugh, and then things happened.”
And it seems that Prince William is a very caring partner to Kate.
She previously told *Hello!* how much of a gentleman William is, saying: “You know, over the years, William has looked after me. He’s treated me very well—as the loving boyfriend he is, he is very supportive of me through the good times and the bad times.”
In April 2011, Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot at Westminster Abbey in a ceremony watched by millions of fans around the world.
Kate wore a stunning Alexander McQueen dress, and the smitten prince was seen telling Kate: “You look beautiful” before the service began.
They may lead an unconventional life, but when it comes to their relationship, it’s all about having fun.
Prince William went further: “Obviously, we both have a lot of fun together, both have a good sense of humor, we’re down to earth, we tease each other a lot, and she has plenty of habits that make me laugh that I tease her about.”