To find it annoying how Kate (Duchess of Cambridge) is referred to as Catherine?

[Dongdingdong]

I read an interview with James Middleton today in which he referred to his sister as Catherine rather than Kate. Prince William also calls her Catherine in interviews.

I don't know why, but I find it mildly grating that since she got together with Prince William, her family and friends have suddenly begun referring to her by a different, longer version of her first name - especially when they presumably always called her Kate before, still do in private and everybody else refers to her as Kate anyway.

It just seems very contrived and a little pretentious or something I suppose. AIBU to wonder why Prince William and her family can't just call her Kate in public?

I have a friend who is Charlotte to some people, Charlie to others and Lottie to her family. It's confusing when you first get to know someone when they have severe names, but not totally unreasonable.

If you can’t say anything nice and all that...

Not really Huffley, If you read an article about someone talking candidly about their mental health and all you can focus on is which name they call their sister by then you are a nitwit

How do you know I didn’t digest the article and think about it properly afterwards? Answer: you don’t. Just because I read the article doesn’t mean I’m duty bound to post about it on here.

And sorry, but you come across as an unnecessarily rude and insulting person, which is actually worse than being a “nitwit” in my book.

Hi Kate! If it annoys you so much, just talk to them about it ffs.

Eh?

I know someone who met Carole socially and she referred to her daughter as Catherine - didn't once call her Kate.

It's one of those weird royal rules that members of the royal family aren't allowed nicknames. Obviously in private no one knows what she gets called!

She was Catherine at school (my DN was in her form)

That’s interesting, as I’ve read several pieces quoting her former schoolmates and teachers and they all referred to her as Kate in those.

A sticky link to this thread should be posted on the Baby Names board to save everyone time during those "I want to call everyone to call my baby Bobby, should I put Montague on the birth certificate?" threads.

As I said earlier though, given the amount of posters who claim to have links with Kate from her earlier years and have shed some light on this, I’m prepared to accept I’m wrong if she’s genuinely always been known by both names. It’s just strange to me though that William previously referred to her as Kate but now he never does. Like a PP said, it’s obviously been a deliberate decision from the royal household to use the longer form, which is, going back to a word I used in my original post, therefore somewhat contrived.

A sticky link to this thread should be posted on the Baby Names board to save everyone time during those "I want to call everyone to call my baby Bobby, should I put Montague on the birth certificate?" threads.

Ha ha!

OP you’re not listening. How on earth is it “contrived” for someone to use their own name that they have been using for their whole life? My name also has a common short form and I answer to either that or the full version - am I also “contrived”?

OP you’re not listening. How on earth is it “contrived” for someone to use their own name that they have been using for their whole life? My name also has a common short form and I answer to either that or the full version - am I also “contrived”?

Crumpet - have you actually read the thread? I’ve stated my reasons several times and won’t be doing so again I’m afraid, as it’s rather tedious to keep repeating myself.

The only people who know me by the shortened version of my name became my friends at university, where I tried out the diminutive I’d rejected as a child (and I’ve rejected since graduation). If university friends cross with other friends it becomes confusing for about 2 seconds before they work it out...

Oh ok fine - the point is that William used to refer to her as Kate in public (in their engagement interview no less!) but now he never does. If she uses both names interchangeablely then absolutely, what you’re saying makes sense - but it’s just a bit contrived that the RF are patently trying to drop the “Kate” bit completely to make her sound more regal or something.

It's one of those weird royal rules that members of the royal family aren't allowed nicknames.

Who said it's a royal rule? The Queen has always been known as Lilibet. Princess Margaret was called Margo, Prince Henry, as already stated, is Harry, King George VI was Bertie, to mention just a few. Most of Queen Victoria's children went by short names or nicknames.

I'm sure 99% of the so called royal rules and protocol mentioned on MN are invented by the press, or right here on Mumsnet.

DH has a name - think Phillip as an example although it isn't that . Mostly he gets the obvios short form Phil, is introduced as Phillip anduses Phillip in writing professionally. However, PIL and SIL and grandma call him Lip. It is bizarre.

I wonder if Pippa would have become Philippa if she’d been the one to marry William

Nothing wrong or pretentious is wanting to use the full version of her name. It’s her name!

Or if William was the second born would we all be calling him Willy

Ha ha ha!

Nothing wrong or pretentious is wanting to use the full version of her name. It’s her name!

Well Catherine undoubtedly sounds more regal and “posh” than Kate, so if it’s a choice between the two, it does make sense why they’d go down that route.

Wow who the fuck cares!
My bro is called Richard - my parents have always always called him Richard but his mates and I call him Rich! So what!

Perhaps she prefers it? People shorten my name all the time despite introducing myself using the long version - it really grinds my gears, if I wanted you to call me ‘short version I’ve never been known as’ then I wouldn’t have introduced myself as ‘long version’ 😡