Charles and Camilla ‘asked Kate Middleton to change her name’
When Kate Middleton married Prince William in April 2011, the world watched on as she lived out her very own fairytale.
The couple said their ‘I dos’ in a regal ceremony at Westminster Abbey, attended by everyone from the late Queen Elizabeth to Britain’s other first family, the Beckhams.
But while marrying William came with many expected formalities — from gaining new titles, job roles, and of course, the position of future Queen — what Kate may not have signed up for was a bizarre request from her in-laws, the then-Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
According to royal expert Christopher Andersen, Charles and Camilla asked Kate to change her first name.
Kate, whose birth name is Catherine Elizabeth Middleton, was reportedly approached by the current monarchs to switch the spelling of Catherine from a ‘C’ to a ‘K.’
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In his new biography, Kate! The Courage, Grace, and Power of the Woman Who Will Be Queen, Anderson says that Camilla thought having three names beginning with C (Charles, Camilla and Catherine) was ‘overkill.’
Anderson explained that Camilla felt the change was a ‘logical progression’ because the world already recognised her as ‘Kate.’
However, the royal source claimed that Kate was ‘offended’ by the suggestion at the time, while her husband, William, was ‘fuming.’
William found the idea ‘insulting,’ not only to his wife, ‘but to her entire family,’ Anderson alleged.
With the future King famously being very close with his in-laws, especially Kate’s mum Carole, who he’s described as his ‘other mother’ on multiple occasions, it’s likely the saga was quickly shut down.
Grant Harold, who worked as a butler for Charles from 2004 to 2011, told Marie Claire that the Middleton matriarch has been a great source of support to the future King.
As his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales’ mother, William has known Carole since the early 2000s, when the pair first started dating as students at Scotland’s University of St Andrews.
Harold recalled: ‘William always had a good relationship with both Kate’s parents, but especially her mother, Carole.’
Adding that the Middletons are a ‘warm and welcoming family,’ Harold noted that William has always looked to Carole as a ‘second mother.’
‘He would speak to her when anything worries him, and if he wants advice or guidance.’
Anderson’s biography isn’t the only book where this awkward moment is mentioned. Prince William’s younger brother, Prince Harry, also spilt the tea in his explosive — and bestselling — 2023 memoir, Spare.
Harry recalled that upon hearing the suggestion of a name change, he looked at William, whose ‘face was blank.’
‘I wondered now what came of that suggestion,’ he added, after noting that Kate retained the spelling of her name.
It’s all water under the bridge now, it seems, as Kate and William project a positive familial and working relationship with the King and Queen.
In the last few years, Kate and Charles’ bond has reportedly grown stronger than ever, as both royals experienced a cancer diagnosis and treatment at the same time.
In January 2024, Kate announced that she had undergone ‘major abdominal surgery.’ While the operation was a success, the princess revealed in March of that year that cancer had been present.
The Princess of Wales underwent a course of preventative chemotherapy, which she finished in late 2024. She then took some time away from royal duties to focus on her recovery, and revealed she was in remission at the start of last year.
Next week, she will resume international travel and go on her first trip following her recovery without Prince William.
Kate will head to Italy on a solo working trip with The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.
It is a major milestone for the future Queen, marking her first extended official foreign trip in nearly three and a half years.
As for the King, he was diagnosed with a form of cancer in February 2024 following treatment for a benign enlarged prostate.
However, Buckingham Palace did not disclose the specific type, stage, or prognosis. They did reveal that he was receiving regular outpatient treatment.
In December 2025, Charles recorded a video message broadcast on Channel 4 for the Stand Up To Cancer campaign.
He shared ‘good news’ about his cancer, saying that early diagnosis and ‘effective intervention’ meant his treatment could be reduced in the new year.
‘This milestone is both a personal blessing and a testimony to the remarkable advances that have been made in cancer care,’ the monarch said at the time.