PRINCESS Kate told her close friends she would be going by a new name before she got engaged to Prince William, claims a royal expert.

The future queen is said to have wanted to ditch the informal “Kate” for a more regal moniker and sent a “humorous email” to her pals informing them of the change.

The Princess of Wales is said to have told her friends in 2008 she would be going by Catherine instead of Kate
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The Princess of Wales is said to have told her friends in 2008 she would be going by Catherine instead of KateCredit: Splash

The name change was ahead of her engagement to Prince William - which later took place in 2010
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The name change was ahead of her engagement to Prince William – which later took place in 2010Credit: Alamy
In a new biography about the royal mum-of-three Robert Jobson claimed that the name change occurred in 2008 as speculation about the couple’s engagement reached a fever pitch.

She allegedly told her inner circle that she would be known going forwards by “Catherine”, rather than “Kate.”

He wrote: “It was unclear if she did not like being called ‘Kate’ or whether it was part of a bigger preparation for her formal public role as Prince William’s future wife, but it appears that she had a genuine desire to go by her full name.”

The name change “only added to the speculation” that Prince William was about to pop the question, claims Robert.

William eventually proposed to his wife in 2010 and they tied the knot in April 2011 in a fairytale wedding watched by millions around the globe.

Following the nuptials, Kate became formally known as Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.

She used this title until September 2022, when she was given the new title of the Princess of Wales, following the death of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Previously Princess Diana had held this title.

Prince Harry opened up about Kate’s name in his bombshell Spare memoir, and claims King Charles had asked her to change the spelling of her name.

He claimed the monarch wanted Catherine to be changed to Katherine so it didn’t clash with Charles or Camilla.

He explained: “This was because there were already two Royal cyphers with the letter C in them – and they didn’t want another.

“There were already two royal cyphers with a C and a crown above: Charles and Camilla. It would be too confusing to have another.

“Make it Katherine with a K, they suggested.

“I wondered now what came of that suggestion.”

Kate and William started dating after meeting at university
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Kate and William started dating after meeting at universityCredit: AP:Associated Press

Prince William revealed in their interview with BBC that he knew from the start that Kate was different from other people
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Prince William revealed in their interview with BBC that he knew from the start that Kate was different from other peopleCredit: AP

Kate is now officially known as Catherine, Princess of Wales, following the Queen's death
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Kate is now officially known as Catherine, Princess of Wales, following the Queen’s deathCredit: Alamy
Prince Harry recalled looking to see what Prince William’s reaction was to the name change.

He added: “I turned to Willy, gave him a look that said ‘You listening to this?’ His face was blank.”

Kate ended up using her preferred spelling of the name for her official title, although many refer to her as Princess Kate informally.