Tartan honours Prince William and Kate Middleton

**Frank** · 30th November 10, 10:14 AM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...tland-11875180

**piperdbh** · 30th November 10, 10:24 AM

A handsome tartan for a picturesque couple.

What will her title be, by the way?

**McClef** · 30th November 10, 10:32 AM

Not much chance that he would wear it as a kilt

Piper - she would usually take her title from her husband and thus be HRH Princess William of Wales or HRH Princess Katherine of Wales.

If he is given a royal dukedom she would become the appropriate duchess.

**piperdbh** · 30th November 10, 11:28 AM

Thanks, Trefor. Here's the next question: are some dukedoms/duchys "vacant" or "dormant" or otherwise uninherited? Is that how he could be given a dukedom?

I bet she'll be Princess Katie instead of Katherine.

**McFarkus** · 30th November 10, 12:08 PM

I believe her style will technically be Princess William of Wales since she was not born a princess. It is likely William will be granted a Dukedom upon his marriage and she will generally be know as the Duchess of ?????. It is possible that Queen Elizabeth will grant her the style Princess Catherine since the style which includes her husband's name is somewhat archaic.

**Chas** · 30th November 10, 12:13 PM

First of all she is Catherine Middleton with a "C" not a "K". Her title will be:

Her Royal Highness Princess William of Wales

or

Catherine, a Princess of Wales.

In all likelihood, Her Majesty will confer a dukedom on Prince William on his wedding day. In that eventuality, her title will be

Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of (wherever).

The Dukedoms of Strathearn, Avondale, Kendal, Sussex, Cambridge and Clarence are all available, but William and Catherine could choose something new. Taking a Welsh or Scottish place name could be a good political move. Especially Welsh as William will be 'of Wales'

Regards

Chas

**piperdbh** · 30th November 10, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by Chas

The Dukedoms of Strathearn, Avondale, Kendal, Sussex, Cambridge and Clarence are all available, but William and Catherine could choose something new. Taking a Welsh or Scottish place name could be a good political move. Especially Welsh as William will be 'of Wales'

Regards

Chas

Can he take whatever place name he wants, or does it have to be a place of which there is no current duke?

**Chas** · 30th November 10, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by piperdbh

Can he take whatever place name he wants, or does it have to be a place of which there is no current duke?

You are quite right, they can't just bump someone else out of the way. Clarence and Cambridge have come up time and time again. Strictly speaking it is Her Majesty who decides, but she would have a lot of advice. If they choose a new name, it would have to be 'worthy'. They can't end up as their Graces the Duke and Duchess of Belly Fluff by the Stream - regardless of how romantic the place might be to them.

There is nothing to stop a combined creation of Duke of (Welsh County) and (Scottish District). That would be one creation rather than two.

Regards

Chas

**McClef** · 30th November 10, 01:01 PM

Chas has already covered most of your questions Piper.

As he said they would not be awarded a Duchy where there is an existing holder and heirs. Technically, all Duchies are within the gift of the Crown and revert to the Crown when there are no heirs so they could then be recreated by letters patent at some point.

There are some Duchies that are exclusively reserved to the Crown - such as those of Cornwall and Rothesay which are the exclusive preserve of the eldest male heir of the Sovereign or of Lancaster (and also Normandy in relation to the Channel Islands) which is always the Sovereign, even if the Sovereign is female.

A Duchy is only a Royal one as long as it is held by someone who is entitled to the title HRH. That entitlement was limited by George V as being restricted to the legitimate children of a Sovereign, the children of a Sovereign's sons, and the eldest living son of the eldest son of a Prince of Wales. So, for example, the current royal dukedoms of Kent and Gloucester will cease to be so upon the demise of the current holders and become ordinary Dukedoms.

There are plenty of choices available and "double barrelling" is also possible. Nor is the choice limited to ones which have been used before. It would be nice to see a Welsh title included for a change!

**Chas** · 30th November 10, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by McClef

There are plenty of choices available and "double barrelling" is also possible. Nor is the choice limited to ones which have been used before. It would be nice to see a Welsh title included for a change!

I agree Trefor. A Welsh Dukedom would make a very refreshing and welcome change. You will know better than I, but one of the older Welsh place names, something from early history might be good.

Regards

Chas