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Prince William and Prince Harry’s feud might have started somewhere around the Duke of Sussex’s wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018, but it seems to have sparked a second round in 2024 over Kate Middleton’s name. When the Princess of Wales revealed her cancer diagnosis in March, the Sussexes sent over their well wishes to their family member.
“We wish health and healing for Kate and the family and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace,” Harry and Meghan wrote in a statement to CBS News. The sentiment reportedly landed with a thud because the Prince of Wales dislikes it when his brother and sister-in-law call her “Kate” instead of “Catherine.” A Daily Beast source claimed it was “an entirely unnecessary and deliberate irritation” and it’s likely why Kate and William did not respond to their outreach.
American media outlets continue to use the name Kate Middleton because that is how she was introduced to the public years ago — it’s for recognition for readers, not as a sign of disrespect. In the U.K. and her personal life, Kate is known as Catherine. While it may seem like an “utterly trivial thing,” a pal of William’s noted that using her former nickname “Kate” really “pushes his buttons.” A second source pointed fingers at the Sussexes for not reading the room during the palace’s time of crisis.
“No one’s saying it’s responsible for all the trouble, but deliberately calling someone by a name they don’t like is just bloody rude,” they explained. “If Harry and Meghan were serious about healing their issue, a good first step would be to call her Catherine.” However, Prince Harry referenced his dislike of the name stemming from King Charles III’s issues with having too many family members with names that begin with the letter “C” in his 2023 memoir, Spare.
“I can’t pay for anyone else. I’m already having to pay for your brother and Catherine,” Charles reportedly told his son.
“I flinched,” Harry wrote. “Something about his use of the name Catherine. I remembered the time he and Camilla wanted Kate to change the spelling of her name because there were already two royal cyphers with a C and a crown above: Charles and Camilla. ‘It would be too confusing to have another. Make it Katherine with a K,’ they suggested.”
The head-spinning issues over Kate’s name seem to be a symptom of the royal family relationships. Princess Catherine, Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales — they are all the same person but hold different meanings to different people.
Before you go, click here to see family feuds we can’t believe played out in public.
