Kate Middleton's Future Royal Title Revealed: What She'll Be Called When William Is King

To be more specific, Kate Middleton's official royal title will be Queen Consort. This title is traditionally given to the wife of a reigning king. While this title comes with major responsibilities within the royal family, it does not make her a sovereign in her own right. As such, Koenig revealed to Hello! that Kate will not receive something called a regnal number.

A regnal number is often used to distinguish monarchs with the same name, especially in cases where a specific name has been used by multiple rulers within the same royal lineage. These numbers are usually expressed in Roman numerals and are placed after the monarch's name, especially in official documents, records, and historical references to help ensure clarity and avoid confusion for historians. The best recent example would be the late Queen Elizabeth. Prince William's grandmother was formally known as Elizabeth II. Meanwhile, Prince William will be the fifth of his name to take the British throne, making him William V when he becomes king.

As for the future Queen Consort, Kate will likely play a key role in supporting King William in his duties. Whether it's accompanying the king at official events, to undertaking her own engagements and patronages, the Queen Consort often has a strong public presence. We will likely see Kate continue to play a major role in charity work, public service, and representing the monarchy on the national and international stages.

Royal followers know that Kate Middleton has already shown her commitment to public service and has a strong connection with the public—both through her work as the Duchess of Cambridge and later as the Princess of Wales. This experience could serve her well when she becomes Queen Consort, allowing her to build on her existing charitable work and public engagements. But that doesn't mean it will be easy.

After all, becoming King and Queen of an entire nation is daunting—even with decades of experience under your belt. And apparently, William and Kate are already feeling the pressure. According to royal expert and journalist Tina Brown, the thought of acceding to the throne has been causing Prince William and Princess Kate "intense anxiety."

"The prospect of it, I am told, is causing them intense anxiety," Brown shared in an opinion piece written for The New York Times shortly after King Charles announced he had been diagnosed with cancer in February 2024. The following month, the palace also revealed that Kate was undergoing preventative chemotherapy treatments following her own cancer diagnosis. Following these double diagnoses, the Diana Chronicles author claimed that Charles' condition put Prince William in "frightening proximity to ascending the throne."

However, Brown also believes that Kate has a major role to play once her and William's transition to King and Queen takes place—whether that's sooner or later. "Catherine is the most popular member of the royal family after William," she wrote in the NYT. "The future of the monarchy hangs by a thread, and that thread is her."