Princess Kate Middleton made history by receiving a new title from her father-in-law, King Charles III, amid their fight against cancer. The British monarch awarded his firstborn’s wife the title of Royal Companion of the Order of Companions of Honor.
According to US Magazine, Middleton is the first wife of a royal to be part of the Order of Companions of Honor.
The Order of Companions of Honor was founded in 1917 by King George V (1865-1936), grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022). The Order is an award to individuals with “outstanding achievements” in the fields of art, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion.
Celebrated members of the Order of Companions of Honor include actress Maggie Smith, physicist Stephen Hawking (1942-2018) and South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu (1931-2021).
In addition to Middleton’s inclusion in the Order of Companions of Honor, Charles III chose to establish his son William as Grand Master of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath. The position has been vacant since 2022, when Charles III stepped down following his coronation.
The Most Honorable Order of the Bath is a British military order dating from 1725, aimed mainly at veterans of the United Kingdom army.
Charles III made his cancer diagnosis public in January 2024. Middleton revealed his illness to the world in March. The two did not give details of their health problems, said they were undergoing treatment and asked for privacy.
Prince William is first in line to the British throne. He is followed by his three children with Middleton: Prince George (10 years old), Princess Charlotte (8 years old) and Prince Louis (6 years old).
