High Time

When a couple gets married, the most common tradition is that the woman takes her husband’s last name. There are exceptions, of course, and the woman isn’t obligated to take her husband’s last name, but when she does, she should have a reasonable expectation that she will no longer be known by her maiden name. With that in mind, I wonder if the media shouldn’t consider that they are being rude and disrespectful when they refer to Princess Catherine of Wales, as Kate Middleton.

If they think they are clarifying exactly who they are talking about, I hate to tell them that after eleven years of marriage and near constant public appearances and charity work, we all know who she is. Now is the time to stop the disrespect they have been showing her for all these years and start showing her the respect she has certainly earned. I know that many people in the United States don’t really care about the royal family, but since Prince William is my twelfth cousin thrice removed, it does interest me. Princess Catherine, in her own right, has endeared herself to many people around the world, so I really don’t understand why some people think it is okay to continue to call her by her maiden name, minus her titles. No one ever considered calling Princess Diana, Diana Spencer, so why is it okay to call Princess Catherine, Kate Middleton? It just isn’t!! In fact, no one even considered calling the now, Queen Consort, Camilla, by her name. She immediately became Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall. And in fact, it was her choice that she not be called Camilla, Princess of Wales. Why were her wishes honored and not those of Princess Catherine, who surely doesn’t still want to go by her maiden name eleven years after her marriage.

A few of the Facebook groups I am a member of have discussed this at length, so I know that many people out there agree with me on this. Princess Catherine has never expressed a desire to be called Kate Middleton either. Usually when a woman chooses to keep her maiden name, it is made public knowledge to…at the very least, avoid confusion. That was never said of Princess Catherine, so why does the media, and some in the public sector, insist on using her maiden name. The only thing that makes any sense to me is that it is a show of disrespect for her title, and in my opinion, that is as wrong as it can be. So, I say start using her correct name, with her title…and I say, it’s high time!!