[issybird]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Yabbut, we're not talking about me or you--we're discussing the BBC, et al. One might have thought that they might make the effort to get it right.

That’s essentially my point. Diana transcended the correct form and since everyone referred to her as Princess Diana, I think you’d have come across an awful ass to insist on PoW and I assume TPTB at the Beeb made that call.

And bygod, they STILL do it. Read anything today about any member of the Royals (the UK royals, I mean), and it's Prince Harry--although, interestingly, you see a lot of Meghan whatever, Duchess of Sussex. Weird. (I tend to think that the address for Harry and his brother is vestigial, sort of?)

Prince Harry, Prince William, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward…. they all have titles that supercede, but the other is still correct and obviously still in use. Prince Philip was another. The issue with Meghan (and Kate) is that they obviously can’t be called princess a la Diana, who was a one-off, so what’s the alternative? Technically, they’re Princess Harry and Princess William, and that’ll never go over. At least DoS and DoC is correct; the one that grates is when they turn it into Duchess Kate or Duchess Camilla, which is not a thing. (And of course Camilla really is the Princess of Wales anyway.)

Oh, sure, for historical, no argument. My ponderment is, why is it the way it is today? Why isn't Mr. Whatever Lord Susan? (Sorry, can't resist, really....)

Once the aristocracy goes probing into and changing its underpinnings, it’s all over for them. And the “equality” argument in that context is risible. The keystones of the aristocracy are tradition and preferment.