What Happens If Kate Middleton Divorces Prince William?
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Rumors still swirl about where Kate Middleton is amid her recovery from abdominal surgery, and many are wondering what’s going on between her and Prince William. The conspiracy theories aren’t stopping anytime soon, and one of the biggest theories is that the pair may be undergoing a rough patch, and may divorce. (It’s unclear why they would, but many point fingers at the cheating rumors).
Of course, this is just a hypothetical, as the rumors themselves remain wholly unsubstantiated. But say that Kate did find herself in a position of wanting to leave her marriage — what would that look like?
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Kate Would Stay In The U.K.
Given that Kate and William share three children together, and that those children are royalty, Kate would need to obtain Prince William’s permission if she wanted to bring them outside the U.K. It’s unlikely that Kate would want to move her children so far away from their father anyway, but if it’s a divorce sparked by infidelity, things could, of course, turn nasty.
CheatSheet speculates that Kate would be gifted a new residence by the royal family for the express purpose of easing shared custody, and suggests that the Kensington Palace family apartment could be where she lands.
William Would Owe Kate Financial Support
Nothing compares to the riches of living like a royal, I’m sure, but Kate would be well looked after even in the case of a divorce. However, the amount involved could be significantly less than that granted in previous royal divorces, given that the couple has only been married since 2011. The financial compensation is determined based on the length of the marriage — so for example, Princess Diana, whose marriage to Prince Charles lasted 15 years, would likely have been granted more.
Paparazzi Would Be Worse Than Ever
In another precedent set by Diana’s divorce, CheatSheet speculates that media attention surrounding Kate would get worse, not better. Diana was famously hounded by press until her death — and in fact, the very tragic circumstances of her death involved a car chase with overzealous paparazzi.
The King Would Get Involved
The King doesn’t have to approve the divorce itself — the way he does marriages — but his involvement is nonetheless significant. His mother, the late Queen of England, did in fact order him and Diana to divorce back in 1995, when the media circus surrounding their various affairs became too much to bear.
Whether or not he would pull a similar move in the case of William and Kate, King Charles III would be tasked with determining Kate’s post-divorce title.
In Diana’s case, the queen was open to leaving all titles in place and allowing her to continue as Her Royal Highness Princess Diana. However, Charles apparently put up a fight, and it was decided that Diana would retain the Princess title, but not the HRH preceding it.
However, if it was today: the King could also strip Kate of all titles if he so chose — but given the precedent she’s set, it’s unlikely.
Remarriage Could Be Tricky
Since the King of England also acts as the head of the Church of England — and the Church of England does not approve of divorce — remarriage can become tricky for former royals. One thing is clear: if they do remarry, they would lose all titles associated with their former marriage for good. Since it’s more or less impossible to remarry under the Church of England, royals have found various workarounds in past years. Princess Anne married her second husband in the Church of Scotland, while Prince Charles remarried in a civil service and an informal blessing.
Before you go, click here to see the 100 best photos of the royal family from the past 20 years.
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