London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jun 14, 2026

7 fascinating things that will happen after Kate Middleton becomes queen

7 fascinating things that will happen after Kate Middleton becomes queen

Kate and William are two of the most beloved royals, blending their royal duties with their 'normalness' perfectly.

You feel you could actually be friends with them, that if they came over for a dinner party they would be brilliant guests.

But the Duke and Duchess will one day not be quite so relatable - when they're king and queen.

Things will change quite considerably when this day comes - here are seven of the things that happen after Kate Middleton becomes queen.

1. She won't actually be queen


Just like Prince Philip isn't king, Kate won't technically be queen - but as she's female she also won't be princess.

King is a higher rank than queen, which is why Philip is just a prince, so while Kate will be Queen Catherine, she'll technically be queen consort as she has no royal blood.

Confused? This article will explain it to you thoroughly.

2. She'll be crowned alongside her husband


This didn't happen for poor old Philip.

As a female consort Kate will be crowned at the same time, although in a smaller ceremony, than William.

According to the royal family’s official website: “Unless decided otherwise, a Queen consort is crowned with the King, in a similar but simpler ceremony.

“If the new Sovereign is a Queen, her consort is not crowned or anointed at the coronation ceremony. After the present Queen was crowned The Duke of Edinburgh was the first, after the archbishops and bishops, to pay homage to her.”


3. She'll have a lot more work to do


She seems busy now, but her workload will be even heavier once she becomes queen.

She's already patron of a lot of charities, but as Queen Catherine she'll inherit a lot more, and she'll have to go on more royal tours alongside her husband.

Put it this way - Kate currently patron of 21 organisations, while Prince Philip is Patron, President or a member of over 750.

4. Her 'salary' will soar


Currently the Duchess gets about £2.3 million a year from Kensington Palace to cover expenses, but as the queen this 'salary' will get much bigger in line with the huge promotion.

The Queen currently has about £47 million yearly, so Kate's income will likely be around this mark too.

5. She'll own the tails of whales and dolphins


This is a weird one.

We all know the strange law that states the monarch owns all the whales, dolphins and sturgeons in the British seas - what you might not know is the consort owns their tails.

It's thought this strange rule came about when King Edward II decided to give the tails to his wife so she could use them to make whale bone corsets.

6. She'll move house


At the moment the Cambridge family live in Kensington Palace, but all that will change once they become king and queen.

As the monarch, William and his family will all move to Buckingham Palace as it is the official residence of British monarchs.

They will also count Windsor and Holyrood Palace as their homes - however palaces like Sandringham and Balmoral are the Queen's private property and therefore she can leave them to whoever she likes.

7. She'll never have to curtsy again


Protocol dictates that you curtsy to anyone higher in rank to you, so Kate currently curtsies to the Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.

When she's queen she'll be top of the chain, only outranked by her husband, so she won't need to curtsy again - and more people will need to do so to her.

However, she will need to in front of her husband.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Royal Navy Takes Part in Trooping the Colour for the First Time in 350 Years
Think Tank Warns Labour's European Union Reset Could Carry Significant Economic Costs
UK Semiconductor Centre and Japan's Rapidus Forge Advanced Chip Manufacturing Partnership
UK and Japan Launch Offshore Wind Compact Backed by £9 Billion in Investment
Starmer and Trump Discuss Iran Peace Efforts and Reopening of the Strait of Hormuz
United Kingdom and Japan Sign £18 Billion Investment Partnership Focused on Clean Energy and Advanced Technology
Barclays Moves to Acquire GoHenry in Bid to Expand Youth-Focused Fintech Services
UK Lupus Patients Show Remission in NHS Genetic Therapy Trial
London Clean Air Zones Linked to Fewer Emergency Hospital Admissions for Respiratory Illness
UK World Cup Scheduling Research Suggests Energy Bill Savings From Off-Peak Usage
UK Economic Anxiety Rises Among Young People Over Long-Term Job Prospects
NHS Expands Meningitis B Vaccination Programme for School Leavers and New Students
London Ultra-Low Emission Zone Linked to Drop in Emergency Respiratory Hospital Admissions
Derbyshire Police Officer Investigated Over Alleged Use of AI-Generated Evidence in Case Files
UK Parents Back Proposed Under-16 Social Media Ban as Online Safety Concerns Grow
Four Palestine Action Activists Jailed Over Sabotage Attack on Israeli-Linked Arms Facility
Barclays to Acquire GoHenry in Push to Expand Digital Banking for Children and Teenagers
UK Government Reaffirms Defence Spending Commitment Amid Cabinet Pressure and Political Disputes
Belfast Unrest Prompts Security Review as Paramilitary Activity Comes Under Renewed Scrutiny
SpaceX IPO Pushes Elon Musk to Become World’s First Trillionaire After Record Valuation Surge
United States and Iran Near Landmark Peace Framework as Negotiations Reach Final Stages
UK Competition Watchdog Investigates Ryanair Family Seating Charges
Imperial College Study Links London Emissions Charges to Lower Hospital Admissions
Scottish First Minister Launches US Trade Initiative Ahead of World Cup Match in Boston
Fifteen Million Workers Gain Expanded Sick Pay Rights Under UK Reforms
British Retail Investors Secure Record Participation in SpaceX Share Offering
Keir Starmer and Micheál Martin Coordinate Response to Northern Ireland Violence
NHS Prepares for Major Disruption as Resident Doctors Announce Four-Day Strike
Bank of England Expected to Hold Rates as Energy Costs Complicate Inflation Outlook
Britain Moves to Ban Under-16s From High-Risk Social Media Platforms and AI Chatbots
UK Economy Contracts as Middle East Conflict Weighs on Growth
Defence Secretary John Healey Resigns Over Military Spending Dispute With Treasury
Prime Minister Keir Starmer Faces Leadership Crisis After Senior Cabinet Resignations
NHS Trust Secures Funding for AI Tool to Detect Heart Failure Earlier
Government Unveils £4.5 Billion Investment Plan for Walking and Cycling Infrastructure
Nationwide Reports UK House Prices Falling as Borrowing Costs Remain Elevated
Centre for Social Justice Says Two Million Britons Are Using Illegal Loan Sharks
UK Carmakers Warn EU Local Content Rules Could Damage British Manufacturing
UK Government Imposes Emergency Ban on Seven Potent Synthetic Opioids
Royal Navy Completes Major North Atlantic Anti-Submarine Exercise Off Norway
NHS Figures Show Nearly 3,000 Patients a Day Receiving Care in Hospital Corridors
CBI Cuts UK Growth Forecast as Middle East Tensions Drive Inflation Risks Higher
Dan Jarvis Appointed UK Defence Secretary Following Major Government Reshuffle
University College London Study Links Physical Punishment to Higher Risk of Bullying
East Midlands Railway Unveils First Refurbished Train in £60 Million Modernization Programme
RNLI Issues National Water Safety Appeal Ahead of Expected Heatwave
Climate Change Raises Subsidence Risks for Millions of Homes Across Southeast England
Manchester Advances Plans for Underground Piccadilly Station With £1 Million Funding Commitment
Anti-Immigration Violence Continues in Belfast Amid Heightened Security Concerns
UK Law Locks Great British Railways Into Public Ownership
×