For more than 11 years since she became a member of the royal family, there has been an ongoing debate: what to call the woman born Kate Middleton (technically, she was born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton, but you get the point).

She is perhaps most recognizable as Kate Middleton: for 11 years, from her wedding day on April 29, 2011 until the day after Her Majesty's death on September 8, 2022, she was Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. However, she is now the Duchess of Wales. The question is: Is she now Lady Catherine?" (In the royal family, nicknames are generally not used along with formal titles, so if anything, it would be Lady Catherine, not Lady Kate.)

In the words of PEOPLE magazine, Catherine is the title that refers to her, along with the title of Princess of Wales. However, the magazine makes it clear in its headline and first reference that Princess Catherine remains Kate Middleton (as does "Marie Claire"). (The same goes for Marie Claire.)

Let's talk about a few details. According to the experts at Debrett's, Britain's authority on etiquette and titles, it is correct to refer to Lady Catherine as "Catherine," not "Lady Catherine." "Also technically correct: Princess William of Wales." (By the way, Kate still holds the title of Duchess of Cambridge. Since the day after the Queen's passing, she has also been given the title of new Duchess. (Kate will also become queen when her husband, Prince William, ascends the throne.) A queen consort is a queen who is married to the king, not a queen like Elizabeth II, who succeeded to the throne.)

So why, for the past 11 years until last week, have we not called her Duchess Catherine?""Unlike the title of Princess, the Duchess is never used before the first name," PEOPLE reported. Instead, they are properly referred to as Catherine, Duchess of Cornwall and the Duchess of Cambridge." However, the title of Princess is used primarily because it is more prestigious." (Technically Camilla became Princess of Wales by marriage to the Prince of Wales, but because of her close relationship to his first wife, Princess Diana, she never used that title publicly.)

Kate said that the reign of Charles III ended and William's William's reign, whenever that may be, she would remain Queen Catherine.

What about the trio formerly known as the Cambridge Kids? The most widely used royal surname is Mountbatten-Windsor (that's what Archie and Lili's surname is, for example), but before the Queen's death, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis were all Cambridge. Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis took the surname Cambridge. George Wales, Charlotte Wales, and Louis Wales became George Wales, Charlotte Wales, and Louis Wales (imagine entering school in Rum Rook on September 8 with the surname Cambridge and returning to school on September 9 with the surname Wales).

"The new last name follows the precedent set by his father," PEOPLE reported." In his own father's capacity, William was known as William Wales during his student days at Eton and St. Andrews and as Captain Wales in the Army." (Ditto Harry.)

What's in a name' If you're a Royal - a lot.