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 believe there was and is a push by royal circles to have her full name used exclusively

Yes, I do think it’s a deliberate policy that has been discussed and decided on - which is why it comes across to me as quite contrived I suppose.

Isn't that her name ?!

That will never happen. People will have fully woken up to the idiocy of the monarchy by then.

What on earth will the dreary funsponge Republican’s moan about then?

Gosh

But it's her name?
What a bizarre thing to get upset by

IIRC the tabloids called her Kate, not her family. So YABU.

That's the same name though. Kate sounds completely different to Catherine. If her friends called her Cathy and any official reference was Catherine I could see your point.

It'd be like being called Peggy and suddenly everyone calling you Margaret.

No, Chanel, it would be like being called Margaret by some people (or in some situations) and being called Peggy by other people - or in other situations. It makes no difference whether or not the nick name "sounds like" the given name.

I have a lovely friend Margaret who is known by a variety of names by different people. To her closest friends she is Peg but most of us use Margaret at times as well. In a professional capacity I would always refer to her as Margaret even though at other times I'd call her Peg.

My first thought was along the lines of whosafraidofabigduckfart's - an interesting personal account of mental health issues and this is what you pick up on, OP.

I don't know anybody who goes through life known by one name (or only one version of their name).

It's a non issue (and if it wasn't, what about Harry who is not really a Harry? Or other members of the royal family who become known by different names).

IIRC the tabloids called her Kate, not her family. So YABU.

Prince William calls her Kate in their engagement interview. So you don’t recall correctly I’m afraid.

Yeah funsponge. That’s a good word for being against state-funded extreme wealth of a few undeserving people while millions are starving and using food-banks.
What’s fun about idolising some idiots just because they are rich?
At least the monarchy will come to an end soon I guess.

Oh and as for the OP, yes it’s massively contrived.

My husband gave himself a ludicrous "nickname" when he started University, because he thought that there would be lots of other men with the same name.

He soon regretted the choice, but it was stuck on me, and my friends, and we all still call him it in public when he'd really rather forget.

In private I call him his real name, as if it's some sort of affectionate nickname.

my friend is called Thomas, and some call him Tommy, and some Tom.

@ChanelPlease

That's the same name though. Kate sounds completely different to Catherine. If her friends called her Cathy and any official reference was Catherine I could see your point.

It'd be like being called Peggy and suddenly everyone calling you Margaret.

Ummm no.

KATE is a shortened version of Catherine. Peggy and Margaret are two completely different names! If you are going to post 'examples' of why you think you are right, at least try and post ones that make sense!

My friend was a katherine

When she went to uni it was shortened to kate

I always called her katherine as did her family and, one assumes, other close non uni friends

Prince William calls her Kate in their engagement interview. So you don’t recall correctly I’m afraid

My friend Katherines husband called her kate

As they met at uni...

@Funkyfunkbeat12

Why don't you reserve some of your vitriol and ire for people that really deserve it? Like the massive companies who cream off 10's of millions of £££ in tax every year, instead of needlessly bashing the Royals? A bunch of people who have done you no harm, and have not chosen to be in the position they are in.

That should be 'cream off 10's of millions in UNPAID tax!'

One of our DCs has always been called by the full first name we chose for her.To say one of the abbreviated forms of it,even though once she went to high school and uni all her friends did, would feel wrong.Its just the way it is.Her siblings call her by another derivative of her full name as an affectionate nickname.
Don't assume OP that immediate families will always use a shortened form of a name.

Peggy and Margaret are two completely different names! If you are going to post 'examples' of why you think you are right, at least try and post ones that make sense!

Um, Peggy is a known diminutive of Margaret. Don't ask me how, mind you.

And then there's Margaret and Daisy...

This is totally normal. I know lots of people who get called various names.
Kate is short for Catherine. Her family can call her what they like.
Also in by gone days, kings and queens had "official names" and names that were used by their nearest and dearest. Edward viii was known as David. Queen Mary's real name was May. So luckily Catherine is very acceptable as a name for a future queen.

I don’t really understand the fuss over this.

I’m a Katherine. My family and old friends call me Katherine. My uni friends decided I was a Kate. They still call me this.

At my school it was very normal for any Catherine or Katherine to be shortened to Kate. I didn’t because I was contrary . Cathy, Kat or Kath would be have been unspeakable in those circles (think v upper class public girls boarding school, in fact it’s where Eugenie and Beatrice were schooled). Same social circles as the Duchess.

Ummm no.

KATE is a shortened version of Catherine. Peggy and Margaret are two completely different names! If you are going to post 'examples' of why you think you are right, at least try and post ones that make sense!

Ummm no @robininbrum - actually Peggy is a short form of Margaret. Next time do your research before needlessly flaming another poster, eh?

Don't confuse me even MORE @Butchyrestingface!

I think it’s a royal protocol thing, I’m sure back when she married william, I remember there being something said about her being referred to as Catherine now she’s a Dutchess.

Daisy is short for Margaret because the French word for daisy is marguerite, I think.