Some may believe the only reason to marry a prince is to inherit the title princess. But because this is the Royal Family and not Disney, it’s not quite that simple. Royal titles are either inherited through sons or marriage. Charlotte lucked out. So did both Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton. So why aren’t the latter two taking advantage of that title more?
When Kate married Prince William in 2011, her official title became Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, even though she is technically also a princess.
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According to the Daily Express, the reason that Kate isn’t known as “Her Royal Highness Princess Catherine” is pretty simple. It’s not the highest ranking title. Just like “prince” isn’t always the highest title for a man of the monarchy.
Take Princess Diana for instance. When she married Prince Charles, she became known as Diana, Princess of Wales, because Charles in the head of a principality — Wales — unlike his son, Prince William. Instead, William was made Duke of Cambridge when he married Kate, which is a higher rank that many prince or princess titles (such as Princess Eugenie, the daughter of Prince Andrew, who is not higher ranking that Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge).
