Kate Middleton nearly refused Diana's Princess of Wales title after Camilla rejected it: experts

Kate Middleton was said to be wary of taking on Princess Diana’s coveted title after Queen Camilla "shied away" from it.

According to reports, the former Camilla Parker Bowles was lined up to be known as the Princess of Wales after she married King Charles (then Prince Charles) in 2005. However, she opted to be known as the Duchess of Cornwall instead.

Camilla, 77, was crowned alongside Charles in May 2023. The king, 75, ascended to the throne upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 2022.

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"It's understandable why Camilla shied away from being known as Princess of Wales," Christopher Andersen, author of "The King," told Fox News Digital. "She was Princess Diana's hated archnemesis; Diana called Camilla ‘the Rottweiler,’ and Camilla's nickname for Diana was ‘Barbie.’"

"The two women were fierce archrivals, and Camilla famously broke up the marriage of Charles and Diana," Andersen shared. "Millions of people resented Camilla, and it hardly would have been in her best interest to rub their noses in it by insisting on calling herself Princess of Wales."

"Of course, Camilla and Kate are miles apart when it comes to Diana," Andersen continued. "It's true that no one is more closely identified with the Princess of Wales title than Diana. Even in death, she owns it."

"It's understandable why Camilla shied away from being known as Princess of Wales. She was Princess Diana's hated archnemesis."

— Christopher Andersen, author of "The King"

Andersen's statements came shortly after the U.K.’s DailyMail published an excerpt from Robert Jobson’s new biography, "Catherine, Princess of Wales." In the book, Jobson claimed Kate considered "refusing" the title synonymous with her late mother-in-law when the time came, following in Camilla’s footsteps.

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Kate, 42, married Diana’s eldest son in 2011. As heir to the British throne, William, 42, is the Prince of Wales.

"[Kate] knew she'd inevitably be compared with Diana, whose untimely death had provoked such a tsunami of anger and grief," Jobson wrote. "And she was right."

"Kate found all such talk stressful," he wrote. "Indeed, it got to the point where she felt she might follow Camilla (who opted to become Duchess of Cornwall) in refusing — when the time came — to be known as HRH Princess of Wales."

According to Jobson, when Charles acceded to the throne in September 2022, Kate "accepted her promotion with good grace, out of respect for her husband and the king."

"Enough time had passed to make the title more palatable, and Catherine had been on the world stage long enough to be appreciated for her own qualities," Jobson wrote.

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Lady Diana Spencer became the Princess of Wales when she married Charles in 1981. She became known as Diana, Princess of Wales, after their divorce in 1996.

The Prince of Wales has been the traditional title for the male heir apparent to the throne since about 1300, People magazine reported. According to the outlet, Charles was thought to be the longest-serving Prince of Wales in history before he became king. The outlet stated that when Charles married Camilla, she opted to be known as the Duchess of Cornwall instead of the Princess of Wales out of deference to Diana.

"As soon as Camilla married Charles, she became Princess of Wales, period," said Andersen. "When Queen Elizabeth died and Charles automatically became king, Camilla automatically became queen. … Kate became Princess of Wales when Queen Elizabeth II died. Even if Kate didn't want to be known as Princess of Wales, she'd have to get the king's permission to be known as anything else."

British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that there was a time when Kate wasn’t "keen" on being the Princess of Wales because she "wasn’t on center stage."

"The late Princess Diana was loved by so many people," Chard explained. "The huge outpouring of grief when her life was cut short lasted for years. Everyone wanted to be her, felt like they knew her, and were bereft at losing their international star… Princess Catherine recognized Princess Diana’s legacy and iconic stats. She didn’t want to be perceived as jumping in her shoes. She could also see how the public was transferring Princess Diana’s qualities into her as it appeased their grief."

"Kate didn’t want this awkward, challenging attention," said Chard. "She certainly didn’t want the constant comparisons between the late Princess Diana and herself. [But] she accepted her new title… Receiving her new title [in 2022] was far more acceptable in her eyes. She had been center stage for years and people valued her special qualities, as opposed to seeing her through Princess Diana rose-colored spectacles. The self-assured Princess of Wales has carved out a successful role for herself. She is a star in her own right."

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"Princess Catherine, the Princess of Wales, is the future of our royal family," Chard added.

"Any concerns regarding Kate being in Diana’s shadow petered out long ago," shared royal expert Hilary Fordwich. "She personifies the English Rose and, for that, has been embraced by the entire British nation and commonwealth beyond. Her … dignity, grace, elegance and, most importantly, her love of family … has rendered her a national treasure."

Andersen said Kate has always been "in awe of the power of Diana’s memory" and has "never pretended she could fill Diana’s shoes."

"Kate is very comfortable in her skin," said Andersen. "I don't think she has ever backed away from her role in the royal family. We can't forget how hard Kate fought over a 10-year period to marry the man who she always knew would eventually be Prince of Wales and then king.  As the wife of the Prince of Wales and the mother of the next Prince of Wales, wouldn't it have seemed insulting for her not to embrace the title?"

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Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams also told Fox News Digital that Kate has successfully made her mark as a Princess of Wales without living in Diana’s shadow.

"The country still honors Diana for her truly remarkable charitable achievements," said Fitzwilliams. "They are hardly ever compared. Things have moved on."

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William proposed to Kate in 2010 with Diana’s 18-carat sapphire engagement ring. During the couple’s engagement interview, William emphasized that there was no pressure for Kate to be "the next Diana."

"No one is trying to fill my mother’s shoes," said William at the time. "It’s about carving your own future and your own destiny, and Kate will do a very good job at that."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.