What Will Prince William Be Called Once He's King, You Ask?
Word on the mean streets posh hallways of Buckingham Palace is that Prince William is kiiiinda dreading being king. But on top of his inevitable promotion, Wills is getting himself a shiny new name the moment he ascends the throne. Sooooo, what will His Royal Highness be called be when he pops a crown atop what remains of his hair?
He Will Likely Be...*drum-roll*... King William V
If Prince William decides to keep his given name then he'll officially be known as King William V. If you're wondering, that "V" is due to the fact that the last King William—Queen Victoria's predecessor and uncle—was King William IV.
The thing is, there is some precedent for British royals randomly changing their names when they level up to monarch. Which means....
Though He *Could* Pick an Entirely New Name
While Queen Elizabeth and King Charles kept their first names after their respective coronations, some royals prefer to switch it up. Example: William's great-grandfather, King George VI, was actually named Albert Frederick Arthur George, and he went by Bertie among friends and family. But ol' Bertie chose King George for his "regnal name" in—as CNN put it—"recognition of his father and to establish continuity between their reigns."
Prince William's full name is William Arthur Philip Louis, so it's conceivable that he could choose to follow in his great-grandad's footsteps and go by King Arthur, King Philip, or even King Louis. Though it seems much more likely he'll stick with King William V.
He Was Actually Asked About It on Camera
A small child randomly mentioned "William the Conquerer" to Prince William during a Zoom (lol) and wanted to know what name he'd be going by as king. Reasonable question, but Wills declined to comment.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took part in a video call today with kids at @ShineCasterton where one plucky pupil asked: “The first William was William the Conqueror. What do you want to be called?" The diplomat prince laughed, and declined to comment 📸@KensingtonRoyal pic.twitter.com/OYZ4JOyilE
— Roya Nikkhah (@RoyaNikkhah) April 8, 2020
What Are Prince William's Current Titles?
Where to EVEN begin?
First of all, Prince William was given the titles Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn, and Baron Carrickfergus by Queen Elizabeth as a wedding present. The most I get from my grandma on special occasions is a check for $10 and some side-eyes, but MOVING ON!
Because three titles simply weren't enough, Prince William also became Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland when his dad became king. (Note: pretty sure these titles will transfer to Prince George when William becomes king).
King Charles then gave William the titles Earl of Chester and Prince of Wales, the latter of which is his most-used title these days..unless he's in Scotland, where he's still known as "His Royal Highness the Duke of Rothesay."
What About Kate Middleton's Future Title?
Technically, Kate will be Queen Consort Catherine. We have a whole explainer of the different types of queens (there are a lot) over here, but the royal family’s website states that “The role of the Queen’s Consort is primarily to provide companionship and moral and practical support to the Monarch. The Consort does not hold a formal position in the structure of government…[or] see State papers or hold official audiences.”
While Kate will specifically be "Her Majesty The Queen Consort," she'll likely go by the more simplified "Her Majesty the Queen," much like Queen Camilla currently does.
That's that on that, but side note before we go: Queen Consorts who marry into the royal family become Queen Dowagers if they outlive their husbands. Meaning Queen Camilla and Future Queen Catherine will retain their titles no matter what!
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