Prince William Engagement: What Royal Title Will Kate Middleton Get?

Kate Middleton and guest attend the 46664 concert in celebration of Nelson Mandela's life at Hyde Park on June 27, 2008 in London, England.

/ Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

NEW YORK (CBS/AP) Newly engaged Kate Middleton has some big, royal shoes to fill. Her engagement to Prince William involves more than just matters of the heart, it involves a royal title once carried by the late Princess Diana - talk about pressure!

So what royal title will be bestowed upon Kate Middleton?

Queen Catherine? She must wait for that one.

PICTURES: Kate Middleton
PICTURES: Prince William and Kate Middleton
PICTURES: Power Weddings

But some royal title awaits Middleton once she marries her prince, a future king of England.

William's uncles, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, were given titles when they married. Andrew was named Duke of York, and his wife, Sarah, became the Duchess of York; Edward was made Earl of Wessex, and his wife Sophie, a countess.

Assuming William's father, Prince Charles, lives long enough to succeed his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, then William likely will be upgraded to Prince of Wales, the traditional title for a male heir.

Kate would then be the Princess of Wales, just as William's mother, Diana, was.

One precedent for her progress could be the career of King George V, the second son of Edward VIII and grandson of Queen Victoria.

After the death of his elder brother Albert in 1891, George was given the titles of Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killarney, and his wife was known as the Duchess of York.

She became Princess of Wales in 1901 following the death of Victoria, and then Queen Mary following Edward's death in 1910.

Another royal precedent gives Kate some latitude on choosing a title. Prince Charles' wife is the princess of Wales but she has never used the title because of its association with the late Princess Diana.

Instead, Camilla is known as the Duchess of Cornwall, or Duchess of Rothesay when in Scotland, adopting two of her husband's other titles.

Royal officials announced Tuesday that William will marry Kate Middleton next spring or summer in London, ending years of rumored splits, reconciliations and will-they, wont-they speculation.

More on the royal engagement:

Harry Was First To Congratulate His Brother

Prince William and Kate Middleton are Engaged

Who Is the New Princess-to-Be?

Two Royal Weddings in One Season

Which Royal Title for Kate?

Timing of Wedding Is Crucial

34 Photos

Kate, Duchess of Cambridge

[barbaram99]

What ever title the Queen sees fit to give her.

[Brad00_0]

Technically it appears that Kate Middleton will be a Duchess, not a princess assuming Prince William is given a Dukedom by the Queen. She will only be known as a princess if she takes the title Princess William, which seems unlikely given the unfeminine quality. People forget that William is second in line to the throne, not first. His father has been waiting his whole life to become King, and I don't think he'll pass up the opportunity once the Queen has passed. It is likely William wouldn't be King for many years, well into his late 40s at the earliest. Lady Diana became a princess because her husband was first in line to the throne. William is second. I believe that the Queen, being a strict traditionalist, will give Kate a title reflective of her husband's second-in-line status, that is, a Duchess, not a Princess.

[Pigfkr]

This isn't true. She will be Princess William regardless of whether she chooses to use it. Just as Diana was Princess Charles while married, whatever the tabloids may have called her. Camilla could use this title now, if she wanted, but it would be a little tasteless.

[AmyBSanDiego]

Will William and Kate Make it? check out: http://******/9boJ6T

[wu1821]

What Royal Title Will Kate Middleton Get?

Who cares? You need to get a job.

[t.matsumori]

So this family gets free wellfare for no particular reason. And CBS is covering the marriage of on of the kids? Who cares? Really? Are we in the 21st century? hello?

[vittoria1]

Not using the title Princess of Wales may be a gesture of respect to Diana, but since Diana was never Queen Consort, she would appear to be irrelevant to that decision. I'd say that the whole adultery thing is the reason why Charles feared that people wouldn't accept Camilla's use of the QC title, even though it will be legally hers. However, my guess is that if he succeeds 10 years from now, and she's still alive, she'll be using it. She won't be QC for long, and by then, how many people are really going to care? There will be a great many people in the UK who won't even have any memory of Diana.

[shanshazzam]

Uh yeah, you made some errors. Kate (or anyone marrying into the royal family) does not get to "choose" a title. Their title is determined by Letters Patent issued by George V. One of the few exceptions to this is Camilla when it was announced by Clarence House that should The Prince of Wales become King, that his wife The Duchess of Cornwall will not be known as Queen Camilla but will take the lesser title of The Princess Consort out of respect for Diana (this is also the reason Camilla was not given the title Princess of Wales).

A title is given, not chosen.

[dianapow_com]

Titles are given, not chosen, and it is the prerogative of the Queen to choose a title for William. Kate doesn't get to pick a title.

Also, Prince Andrew already holds the titles of Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killarney, so the precedent set by George V isn't available to William and Kate.

C'mon. You are CBS News...and you can't do a little research?