We *Might* Have a Queen Kate in Buckingham Palace Someday
Updated Sept. 8 2022, 3:11 p.m. ET
Queen Elizabeth II was the longest ruling monarch in British history, but many wonder what will happen now that she has died. For many of us, we weren’t even alive at a time when Queen Elizabeth II wasn’t the ruling monarch of England, and now we’re wondering if Kate Middleton will become the queen.
The Royal Family has always been on a different level of fame and stardom, but with the rise of social media, they are seen more as celebrities than as political figures. We all remember William and Kate’s royal wedding, and now imagining the enchanting Kate Middleton becoming queen has us thrown for a loop.
If all goes as planned, then Kate Middleton will become Queen of England.
Now that Queen Elizabeth has died, her son, Charles is the king, and his son, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, is next in line for the throne. Wwhen Prince William ascends the throne to become King William, Kate Middleton will become Queen Consort.
“Queen Consort” is a title used for those who ascend the throne by marriage rather than by lineage. For Kate, this means she will have a much smaller coronation than her husband, who will have all the bells and whistles of the most extravagant royal coronation, and will be crowned with the official Crown Jewels.
Many expect that when Kate becomes Queen Consort, she will go by Queen Catherine, since Queen Kate sounds more like the name she used when playing imaginary royal family as a kid instead of actually being part of the Royal Family.
It’s possible Kate Middleton won’t become Queen, but very unlikely.
Because Kate Middleton will only become Queen through marriage, it is possible she won’t become Queen if something happens to Prince William. Even if she is Queen and he passes away before she does, then their son, Prince George, would become King. Without William, Kate is not at all in the line of succession to the throne even though her children are.
If something happens to William or if they get divorced, Kate would not become Queen. This isn't that out of the ordinary. Several family members in the line of succession have been married multiple times, including Prince Charles. While many of us remember the iconic Princess Diana, who tragically died in a car accident in 1997, she and Prince Charles split up in 1996.
The Royal Family’s line of succession is quite complicated, especially since there were a few rule changes in recent years. Prior to 2013, a female heir would be booted out by a male heir, even if he was born after her. However, Parliament passed the Succession to the Crown Act in 2013 to end that antiquated rule, but it only applies to those born after Oct. 28, 2011.
The way the Royal Family line of succession works is that it goes all the way down the familial line of the eldest son, and then all the way down the familial line of the next eldest son. Charles is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, and his grandchildren are set to ascend to the throne before any of his siblings.
While complicated family dynamics must be abound in the Royal Family, seeing Kate Middleton become Queen would definitely be a new iconic era.
