The Legacy of the Princess of Wales

The Princess of Wales is a courtesy title used since the 14th century by the wife of the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. The new monarch King Charles III passed down the titles of Prince and Princess of Wales to William and Kate in his first televised speech. The bestowal of the title was both emotional and profound, welcoming a new era of royal life. When marrying into the royal family, it was inevitable that Catherine Middleton would have her fair share of comparisons to the late Princess Diana, the last person to hold the title before Catherine. Due to Diana's untimely death, her image has been preserved forever and this new living, breathing Princess of Wales is in a very different place. As Kate moves into her forties, and with the support of a loving family, there is a potential for her to use the role as a powerful tool for change.