Common Sources of Prince William and Kate Middleton have revealed that the Prince of Wales is quite “irritated” with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for referring to his wife as ‘Kate’ rather than her preferred name, ‘Catherine,’ according to Daily Beast.
William was particularly upset when Harry and Meghan used ‘Kate’ in a public statement expressing their well-wishes after Kate disclosed her illness in March 2024. The statement read, “We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace.”
A close friend of William noted that using ‘Kate’ instead of ‘Catherine’ was seen as a deliberate slight. The friend commented, “The fact that Harry and Meghan couldn’t bring themselves to use her chosen name, even in a get-well-soon message after her cancer diagnosis, was noted.”
William is known to be sensitive about the use of his wife’s preferred name. The friend explained, “William takes offense at people calling Catherine ‘Kate,’ because she has requested to be known as Catherine. It’s a simple wish to respect. I’m sure Meghan wouldn’t appreciate it if William started calling her ‘Meghan Markle’ publicly.”
Kate Middleton, who has long preferred to be called Catherine, uses this name in both personal and official settings. Despite being widely known as Kate in her earlier years, she chose to use her full name before marrying William. While close friends and family respect her preference, media outlets, particularly in the U.S., often refer to her as Kate Middleton.
Another friend of the Waleses remarked, “It may seem trivial, but those who know William understand that it really gets under his skin. Given the circumstances with his wife’s cancer, this seemed like an unnecessary and deliberate irritation. I wonder if the private card started with ‘Dear Kate…’”
Another acquaintance agreed, saying, “No one claims it’s the root of all their issues, but intentionally calling someone by a name they dislike is rude. If Harry and Meghan were serious about mending their relationship, a good start would be to use Catherine’s preferred name.”
Royal author Christopher Andersen told Fox News Digital that despite the ongoing tensions, he hopes William will eventually extend an olive branch to Harry. Andersen commented, “Despite all the bad blood between the brothers, I’m convinced that, when the time comes, William won’t be foolish enough to exclude his only sibling, now fifth in line to the throne, from his coronation.”
