Prince William and Kate Middleton Are Officially Prince and Princess of Wales
Kate Middleton and Prince William are now officially Prince and Princess of Wales. In his first speech as British monarch, King Charles III bestowed the title of Prince of Wales on his son, Prince William, and Princess of Wales on his daughter-in-law, Kate Middleton.
"As my Heir, William now assumes the Scottish titles which have meant so much to me. He succeeds me as Duke of Cornwall and takes on the responsibilities for the Duchy of Cornwall which I have undertaken for more than five decades," the King said.
He continued, "Today, I am proud to create him Prince of Wales, Tywysog Cymru, the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty. With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground where vital help can be given."
The Prince of Wales is not a title that William automatically inherited, unlike the Duke of Cornwall. Charles took the title Prince of Wales very seriously over the course of his tenure, including making a home in Wales, and advocating for Welsh issues. Queen Elizabeth announced her intention to make Charles Prince of Wales in 1958, and his investiture ceremony took place in 1969. He was the longest-serving Prince of Wales in history.
The last Princess of Wales was Princess Diana; though Camilla could use the title, she was styled as Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Earlier this summer, when Kate and William visited Wales during Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee, a well-wisher told Kate, "You’re going to make a brilliant Princess of Wales." Kate replied, "That’s very kind. I’m in good hands," gesturing to Prince William.
According to a royal source, the couple will focus on deepening the "trust and respect" of the Welsh people, and "will approach their roles in the modest and humble way they've approached their work previously." Kate, as the new Princess of Wales, is acutely aware of Princess Diana's history with the title, but is looking forward to creating her own path in the role.
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