Everyone calls the Duchess of Cambridge Kate, but her real name is Catherine
The famous royal was christened Catherine Elizabeth Middleton. The more informal moniker version of 'Kate' was used by some friends growing up. This shorter, snappier name presumably stuck after being called it by friends at school, but everything changed when Kate became the Duchess of Cambridge after tying the knot back in 2011.
When she married Prince William at Westminster Abbey 11 years ago, the Duchess of Cambridge then reportedly urged her friends to start using her full name again as she had been trying to rid herself of the 'Kate' identity for some time before that. And although it may seem trivial, there was some quite sad reasoning behind her desire to ditch 'Kate'.
Before she got engaged to William, Catherine had dated the future king on-and-off for seven years. The pair met at university, and went on to become a couple after moving into an off-campus apartment together.
But things were not all sunshine and rainbows for the pair pre-marriage. When they were dating, Kate received more than enough scrutinisation from the press and public, with some even dubbing her 'Waity Katy'.
At the time, a friend of Kate's told the Daily Mail: "Kate's in an impossible position. She hates that awful phrase ‘Waity Katy’ and it makes her mother quite upset."
The press and public scrutiny traumatised Kate so much, that she asked her friends to refer to her by her birth name. The friend added: "It’s why she’s asked all her friends to call her ‘Catherine’."
In 2008, journalist Adam Helliker told readers of The Sunday Express that Catherine had asked friends not to call her by her christened name. Adam wrote: "I hear that in the past few weeks the former accessories buyer has quietly informed friends that she would like to drop the informal ‘Kate’ and in future wishes to be known by her full name ‘Catherine’."
Today, Catherine is still largely known as Kate by members of the public and press, despite formally ditching her nickname some time ago. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are currently gearing up to move houses over the summer.
Soon, the Cambridge Family will up sticks and move from their Kensington Palace home to a cottage on the Windsor estate. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have lived at Kensington Palace since 2017, the year before their youngest child, Louis, was born, with the couple originally living at Anmer Hall, Norfolk.
Their original residence was bought for them by the Queen, who the pair share a close relationship with, as a wedding present. Catherine and William hope to move back to the country pile once their children have fled the nest, a source recently stated.
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