It's Sunday evening and there's nothing on TV

Really. There is nothing I want to watch. So People magazine has upset me twice. This is why. They have begun referring to the Duchess of Cambridge, the former Kate Middleton, as Princess Kate. This is not the correct way to address her. This, of course, triggers my decades long issue with the press when they insisted on referring to the late Princess of Wales as Princess Diana. In Great Britain, you are only able to use your first name after the title Princess if you are born a princess. There have been a few exceptions in the last 100 years, but those were special title creations (there is probably a different, better word for that) as decreed by the Queen.

I won't try to explain it now. Though I do know that when the Duke of Gloucester (Henry) passed away, his wife Alice asked to be styled as Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. Then her son Richard and daughter in law Birgitte were known as the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and they still are.

When Diana was tragically killed in that car crash in Paris, The NY Times had it right when in the headline it said, "Diana, Princess of Wales". I just learned that her title went from Princess of Wales to Diana, Princess of Wales when she was divorced. There are many other bloggers out there who have written extensively on this far better than I could or have the patience to. In fact check this one out. She's so well-informed on everything regarding a British title and a whole lot more. Hopefully I've inserted this link in properly. Let's give it a try.http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2010/01/whats-in-name.html

I think there must a better way to insert this. I will work on this for future blogs. Now I will practice inserting some photos of lovely royal women.

The Princess of Wales



The Duchess of Cambridge

But I still wince when I see "Princess Diana" in print.

These strict guidelines do not apply to the rest of the European Kingdoms, Dukedoms or Principalities (That's you, Monaco!) There you simply have to marry a prince and you plop the word Princess in front of your first name. And if you marry a Crown Princess, as Daniel did when he married Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, he was made a Prince. However, when her younger sister Princess Madeleine married Christopher O'Neill, he opted not to take a title. However their daughter is Princess Lenore. When Princess Anne of Great Britain, now The Princess Royal, married Mark Phillips and he refused a title, their children received no titles and are known simply as Peter and Zara Phillips.

Does anyone find it curious that The Duchess of Cambridge is rarely seen wearing a tiara? The only time I have seen her wearing one was on her wedding though I thought I saw her wearing one in a car en route to Buckingham Palace for a very special event that was not photographed. I wonder if the Palace is trying to keep the tiara wearing to a minimum. I've never seen the York Princesses, Beatrice and Eugenia in tiaras. Hmm. Something to keep a look out for.

I know the bloggers who love writing about tiaras, and there are some great ones out there I will link to in the future (this linking business is a challenge), are waiting eagerly for Kate (see that's okay, Princess Kate is not) to wear one.

That's it for now.