Kate Middleton's awkward request to friends ahead of engagement

We generally know her as Kate Middleton, but it seems the Duchess of Cambridge isn't fond of the name given to her by the British public after news of her relationship with Prince William broke in the early 2000s.

The duchess reportedly prefers to be called by her full name Catherine, yet 'Kate' has universally stuck.

This is despite her own efforts to encourage friends to use her birth name, sending an email back in 2008 requesting they call her Catherine instead of Kate.

According to Sunday Express, the friends were "a little taken aback" by the email request.

Royal reporter Daniela Elser was told Kate — sorry, Catherine — had attempted to be "gentle" and "very jokey" about it.

Adam Helliker, a reporter for the Sunday Express, wrote at the time: "Everyone knows it's about to happen with Kate and William, but we were a little surprised about the request to call her Catherine.

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"While it is thought Prince William called his future wife 'Kate' when they first met, publicly he calls her Catherine. The Duchess herself uses her full name in all official correspondence and signs her emails with a 'C'."

In 2017, Prince William and Kate sat down with BBC Radio 1. Radio host Scott Mills said he listened to a podcast with Prince Harry where he refers to the couple as "William and Cath." 

"Is this a thing just in the family?" he asked the Duchess. 

"Yeah, I'm not sure," she says. "I'm not that familiar with it I have to say, but I'll answer to most things to be honest."

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge began dating as students at St Andrew's University, Scotland, in 2003. Following a three-month split in 2007, they became engaged in 2010 and married the following year on April 29, 2011.

They have since welcomed three children - Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, two.

When Prince Charles becomes King of England, Prince William will become Prince of Wales and Catherine the future Queen consort.