Kate Middleton is poised to become Queen of England (okay, technically Queen Consort, but that's a whole thing), and her family will get an even bigger spotlight. While Kate's parents, Carole and Michael, already spend their time hanging with aristocrats—including princes, princesses, dukes, earls, and duchesses,—their official titles at the moment? Simply Mr. and Mrs. Middleton. And if you're wondering whether or not that'll change once Kate levels up to Her Majesty, the answer is...maybe!
They Don't Automatically Get Titles
Just because their daughter will be Queen, doesn't mean the Middletons automatically get titles. This is because they weren't born into the royal family. On top of that, most "lesser" titles (like Earl and Duke) are passed down generation-to-generation, going back hundreds of years. However...
They Could Be Awarded New Titles
It's not an every day occurance, but fresh titles have been handed out in the past. For example, Prince Harry was made Duke of Sussex when he married Meghan Markle. That title was first created in 1801, "lapsed" in 1843, and wasn't revived until Queen Elizabeth II dusted it off to give to Harry in 2018. As for how many similarly lapsed titles are sitting around ready to be used, there appear to be several—the "Duke of Cumberland," for example. But granting a title to the Middletons would certainly be unusual, and there's no real precedent for titling a royal in-law since they're usually titled to begin with.
That said, it's also possible that an entirely new title could be made up. Back in 2013, the Daily Mail speculated that Michael Middleton could be named Earl of Bucklebury (the family live in the village of Bucklebury) and noted that "the only other non-titled grandpa in the past millennium, the father of Edward IV’s wife Elizabeth, also had an earldom bestowed on him."
More recently the Daily Mail claimed that "insiders say this is more likely to happen when William becomes king."
Carole Could Become a Lady-in-Waiting
But even if that happens, she won't get a title. We know this thanks to Queen Camilla, who has six ladies-in-waiting that she calls "companions." They include Sarah Troughton, Fiona the Marchioness of Lansdowne, Lady Katharine Brooke, Baroness Carlyn Chisholm, Lady Sarah Kewick, and Jane von Westenholz. While a few of them clearly started the "job" with a title, the ones who didn't have yet to get one.
A Sir/Dame Honorific Could Also Be in the Cards
One of Camilla's ladies in waiting, Sarah Troughton, was given a Royal Victorian Order in 2025 for service to the monarch, which makes her an official Dame. So, there is a world where Carole could be awarded for her service and be known as Dame Middleton, but again, this is all just speculation.
On that note...guess we'll see what happens!
