"The Queen has today been pleased to confer a Dukedom on Prince William of Wales. His titles will be Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus," statement from the Palace read. "Prince William thus becomes His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge and Miss Catherine Middleton on marriage will become Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge."
Jennie Bond, one of Britain's foremost experts on the royal family, noted that the title was "a personal gift from the queen, a mark of her esteem for her grandson." She added that there was already hint William will be bestowed with the dukedom. To The Associated Press, she said, "The queen went to visit Cambridge the day before yesterday so a lot of people thought that was how it was going to be."
The dukedom is one of three titles bestowed by the Queen to mark William's marriage to Kate at Westminster Abbey. The oldest son of Prince Charles and his soon-to-be wife have been given the Scottish titles of Earl and Countess of Strathearn, reflecting the fact they met at St Andrews University, as well as Northern Irish titles of Baron and Baroness Carrickfergus.