Prince William to face a 'bittersweet moment' when Kate receives new royal title

Prince William is anticipating a 'bittersweet moment' when Kate Middleton receives a new royal title. 

• Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, will be receiving a new royal title.
• Although it is unclear when the Duchess will receive this new title, friends have said that this will be a happy occasion that is tinged with sadness for the Prince.
• In other royal news, the Queen's sleep and exercise routine could be the reason for her long life.

Kate Middleton turned 40 over the weekend which has led to a lot of new interviews and discussions about the Duchess and her personal challenges as a member of the royal family.

In an interview with the Telegraph, a close friend of Kate Middleton's has revealed that although Kate may be excited to receive a new royal title in the future, it is tinged with sadness for her husband Prince William.

When the Queen dies, Prince Charles will become the King and Prince William will become the new Prince of Wales as he is next in the royal line of succession. This means that Kate will retire her title as the Duchess of Cambridge and become the Princess of Wales.

This will be a sad moment for William whose wife will now take his mother's former title. Princess Diana was known as the Princess of Wales during her lifetime, but since her sudden death in 1997, the title has been retired.

A source close to the royals said that Kate becoming the new Princess of Wales will be a 'bittersweet moment' for both the public and royal family. “I’m sure it’ll be a bit of a bittersweet moment. This is her [Diana’s] son and his wife, so in some ways it will be coming full circle—but it will also be a poignant reminder of what we all lost,” said the royal insider.

As the wife of Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, Duchess Camilla could choose to use this title. However, because of the direct links with the late Princess Diana, the royal family thought it was best if Camilla was primarily referred to as the Duchess of Cornwall. 

When Charles becomes King, there is a royal title that Camilla will be denied. Instead of becoming Queen, Camilla will be Princess consort. This breaks royal tradition, but it appears that the royal family is against making Camilla Queen and Princess Anne has even claimed 'Camilla will never be a true queen' as they quarrel about titles.

As the new Princess of Wales, comparisons between Princess Diana and the Duchess of Cambridge can be expected. Although some current comparisons are more superficial and focus on the jewelry Kate wears that once belonged to Diana, or the fashion tips Kate has borrowed from Diana, close friends of the royal couple say that Kate's similarities to the 'People's Princess' are more than just surface level.

"It’s the golden thread running through all [Catherine’s] work now," said an aide. "Human connection. She sees her role really as bringing people together."

An insider added that as a couple they both try to uphold values that were close to Princess Diana's heart. “They want to really listen to what people have to say, spend time with them, and keep those relationships going,” said the source. "The empathy that Diana showed to people changed the way the Royal family communicated, and they are taking that on."