She’s been a huge support to her daughter, famously helping orchestrate her marriage to the future King of England. But if you’re wondering what Kate Middleton’s mother’s royal title will be when William takes the throne, you might be disappointed.
There’s increasing chatter about the next chapter of the British royal family as the 75-year-old King Charles undergoes treatment for an undisclosed kind of cancer. While the monarch took a break from public-facing duties throughout his treatment, the palace confirmed that he would continue to carry out his duties as head of state, including any paperwork and private meetings with officials.
Related: If King Charles Dies, Who Becomes King? Here’s The British Line Of Succession
Buckingham Palace announced that the monarch was diagnosed with cancer in February 2024. Less than two weeks before his diagnosis was revealed to the public, the king had undergone a routine procedure to treat an enlarged prostate. Additional diagnostic tests revealed that a “form of cancer” was present, though the palace did not reveal the exact kind. The monarch immediately began treatment, and in the months since, there has been much speculation about how his condition has progressed—with some sources even claiming that his health is “not good.”
Royal expert Katie Nicholl hit back against these reports. “There have been claims in some media outlets that the king is not doing well in his cancer battle. I think the announcements out of the palace and… the king’s imminent return to public duties should stop such nonsense in its track, quite frankly,” Nicholl told Entertainment Tonight.
Though as the Kind’s eldest son, William will become king eventually, which means Catherine will be queen. Here’s what that means for Kate Middleton‘s mother’s royal title.
Kate Middleton’s mother’s royal title
Kate Middleton’s mother won’t get a royal title, according to reports, quite simply because she’s not a royal. Per the Royal Family website, the monarch is the “fountain of honor” in the UK and has the “sole right” of conferring titles of honor. However, it’s understood that new hereditary peerages are typically only granted to members of the Royal Family.
Carole won’t receive the title of Queen Mother, either, because that is reserved for someone who is the mother of the current monarch and the widow of the former King. The last Queen Mother was Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the mother of Queen Elizabeth II and wife of King George VI.
Even Queen Camilla won’t receive the title if she is widowed when Prince William ascends to the throne, as she’s not Prince William’s mother. She would, however, become a Dowager Queen or Queen Dowager should Charles pass away during his reign.
Carole and her husband Michael are said to be facing serious debt that they are reportedly unable to pay off. According to The Times newspaper, the couple cannot come up with the “£260,000 (over $329,000) insolvency firm costs” for their struggling business, The Party Pieces Company. The company, founded in 1987 by the Middletons, went into administration last June, owing creditors £2.6 million.
According to insiders quoted in Us Weekly, Carole is trying to protect her daughter from the family’s money woes, with the desire for Catherine to focus solely on getting better. “Carole is desperately trying to keep Catherine fully focused on her recovery,” a source told Us.
“It’s a very worrying time for the family but they are not looking for any assistance from their children and don’t want them to worry.” The source continued: “Catherine and her parents are very close and they always check in with each other, but talk about the business is off limits as she needs to focus on her health.”
