Why Kate Middleton Reportedly Had "Reservations" About Inheriting Her Princess of Wales Title From Diana.

 

Why Kate Middleton Reportedly Had "Reservations" About Inheriting Her Princess of Wales Title From Diana.

"This tells you how viewed she is."

Kate Middleton is now the Princess of Wales, however she as soon as "privately expressed" her "reservations" about inheriting the title after Princess Diana. In Russell Meyers's upcoming book, William and Catherine, The Monarchy’s New Era: The Inside Story, the royals professional displays why Middleton was once concerned.

"Courtiers stated that whilst Catherine had a full perception ofthe records related with the role, she was once decided to findher very own path," Myers wrote. "But Catherine had additionally privately expressed to William and to Charles her reservations about taking over the title, mindful of the British public’s super feeling for, and connection to, Princess Diana even 25 years after her death."

A former senior aide to Prince William and Middleton added: "This tells you how regarded she is."

"She is benevolent with her intentions, however additionally needs to carve out her personal function for each herself and her family, which in many methods appears very exclusive to how generations of royals have acted in the past," they continued.

"She is very conscious the tempo that she needs to development and the way in which she sees her future function inside the institution, and I suppose when she was once satisfied to take the title on, and there used to be a bit of convincing, she felt that whilst there would be inevitable comparisons with Diana, she should manipulate it in her very own way whilst having full admire for the way Diana carved out a very extraordinary function for herself inside the royal family," the former aide concluded.

Also certain in the book, out March 10, is Middleton's first non-public assembly with Queen Elizabeth II. The late monarch reportedly used the possibility to warn her about "headstrong husbands" earlier than her marriage to the Prince of Wales.

"During the mild buffet of tea and finger sandwiches, the Queen eschewed questions about the finer important points of the manufacturing and as a substitute seemed to alleviation the younger lady she hoped would efficiently form the organization for the subsequent generation," Myers wrote.

She additionally shared "words of encouragement" with Middleton, advising her on how to "deal with ‘headstrong’ husbands."

Kate Middleton (now Catherine, Princess of Wales) reportedly had reservations about taking on the Princess of Wales title primarily because it was so strongly associated with her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana. Diana held the title from her marriage to then-Prince Charles in 1981 until their divorce in 1996, and her enduring popularity and tragic death in 1997 left a deep emotional connection with the British public even decades later.

According to recent reports from royal author Russell Myers in his upcoming book William and Catherine, The Monarchy’s New Era: The Inside Story (excerpts published around February 2026), Kate privately expressed concerns to Prince William and King Charles about inheriting the title. She was keenly aware of the public’s “exceptional feeling for, and connection to, Princess Diana even 25 years after her death.” This made her hesitant, as she anticipated inevitable comparisons between herself and Diana.

A former senior aide to William and Kate described her approach as thoughtful: she appreciated the title’s history but was determined to carve out her own path and role within the monarchy. After some convincing, she accepted it, confident she could manage the comparisons while respecting Diana’s unique legacy and pursuing her own style of royal duties.

Earlier biographies (from 2024) also noted similar themes, with Kate finding public and internal discussions about parallels to Diana “stressful” and even considering alternatives (like Camilla, who chose Duchess of Cornwall instead of Princess of Wales). However, she ultimately embraced the title upon King Charles III’s accession in 2022.

These insights come from royal insiders and reflect Kate’s considered nature—she wanted to honor the past while forging a modern, distinct future for herself and her family in the institution.

Tags: Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince Louis, Prince William and Kate Middleton, Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Meghan, Lilibet

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