It really irks me!

Well the schools and the PO got it wrong.

Why on earth would we need a title for women who were divorced. We've already got 2 titles for women that put them into categories of marriage, we don't need another one.

Children are registered under their fathers name , that is the odd thing , they belong to him ! I guess that’s where married women feel they need to take their husbands name . Maybe young people feel they are their own person nowadays and why the media use the single surname ?

Didn't divorced women continue to use Mrs?
That's what I thought used to happen

Nicola Sturgeon is called Ms Sturgeon on TV sometimes. Did she get divorced and I missed it?

Aggie A friend of mine's daughter has her mother's surname

Fanny that’s great , I think if you like your surname , good , if you don’t change , mind you it will confuse genealogical bods in the future ?

When I divorced I was still referred to as Mrs, both written and face to face.

Growing up in Scotland, I remember how married women were always referred to by their maiden name, unless being called Mrs ….
So I might have been Mrs Broon to the butcher, but Pheemy (short for Euphemia ) MacTavish to everybody who knew me.
We moved toLondon when we married so the daughters were all brought up in England .
As it turned out, D1 took her husbands name, the middle one uses her maiden name professionally and D3 never changed her name on her marriage 9 years ago.

I think Alegrias is right, Ali08.

It's true that divorced women may take 'Ms', but that doesn't mean that all 'Ms's' are divorced. It's like the 'all frogs are green, but not all green things are frogs' thing that we were taught at school. (I know that other coloured frogs are available, before a pedant points it out?).

I am Mrs Dog, but I married young, and didn't really think about it. I don't know that I would take a man's name now, although I can see that it's useful in many circumstances for the family to have a name in common.

Getting back to the original question, I think calling her Kate Middleton is a way of the press constantly reminding us of Kate’s non royal background. The RF don’t call her Kate, and neither do her own family, and I doubt whether she ever asked anybody to continue calling her Middleton after she married. She should be asked what she wants to be known as, and the press should use whatever that is as her name. It’s different for Meghan in that as an actress she chose her stage name, and still calls herself by that name when working, although she may also prefer a different name for private use.

Ms became mainstream when the UK government agreed to allow a woman to use Ms on her passport if she wanted to do so, as some women argued for that as they said that men could use Mr whether married or not and they should have a similar facility.

So it is a choice for a woman.

I am wondering if the whole Miss or Mrs difference was so that historically it was clear as to whom anyone should complain to about her, or to whom to make any claim for money owed. To her father or to her husband.

Ms does not refer to a woman who is divorced; she is still Jane Smith unless she changes her name by deed poll, (which annoys second wives immensely) but correctly she is referred to as Mrs. Jane Smith as opposed to Mrs. Peter Smith. Ms, came into usage originally for women who objected to being called Miss particularly those with children.. I hate it because it is not a proper word.

I still confuse the titles Duchess of Cambridge with Duchess of Cornwall when I read them. I use the term Meghan Markle deliberately because in my opinion, she has abused her title and position, as has her husband. Childish, I know.

Whenever you hear Prince William refer to his wife, he calls her Catherine. I think it is disrespectful of the press and media to call her Kate Middleton.
I was a Miss until I married, and I'm Mrs now. I would bever like to be addressed as Ms.

MiniMoon

Whenever you hear Prince William refer to his wife, he calls her Catherine. I think it is disrespectful of the press and media to call her Kate Middleton.
I was a Miss until I married, and I'm Mrs now. I would bever like to be addressed as Ms.

I am male.

A practical problem arises if one wishes to send an email to a lady whom was does not know on a first name basis, and one does not know how she likes to be styled.

For example, if a news channel presenter is listed on screen as Jane Smith and there is an email address such as
[email protected]

It would seem presumptuous ​to write

Dear Jane

so

Dear Ms Smith

seems the way to go.

If ithe lady is the editor of a magazine, I use the format

Dear Editor

which is also helpful if one does not know the name of the editor.

Just wondering, for ladies here, do you ever get letters that start Dear Sir even if it is in response to a letter or email that you have sent that clearly indicates that you are female?

Do you ever get letters of the format

Mrs Jane Smith
21 Example Lane
Sometown

Dear Sir

where even though addressed to a female then starts as if you are male?

The media do it to Kate to make sure she knows her station. You will notice when they are in full sucking up mode, or are trashing Meghan that day, Kate gets her proper title and even her HRH.

TBH, once she is Princess of Wales, I expect she will generally be referred to as Princess Kate.

MawBe

Growing up in Scotland, I remember how married women were always referred to by their maiden name, unless being called Mrs ….
So I might have been Mrs Broon to the butcher, but Pheemy (short for Euphemia ) MacTavish to everybody who knew me.
We moved toLondon when we married so the daughters were all brought up in England .
As it turned out, D1 took her husbands name, the middle one uses her maiden name professionally and D3 never changed her name on her marriage 9 years ago.

Maw you will remember that it has always been, and remains, legally competent for a married woman in Scotland to call herself by either her maiden or current married name, and indeed in criminal charges or legal proceedings it remains common to libel her as both, e.g. Euphemia MacTavish or Broon.

I say you will remember as no doubt you were told this trivially at some point but unquestionably have never been criminally charged yourself!

When I was a solicitor in training the married women were still expected to give their names in that format when witnessing deeds. I do not know if the current practice has changed. I do hold bank accounts in both names.

I’ve never liked my married name I’d love to use my maiden name but since my DH died It feels disrespectful and the faff to change everything like bank, passport, driving licence etc.

My eldest daughter not only kept her maiden name when she married, but has passed it on to her daughter.

I never liked my maiden name and really like my married one - although I often have to spell it. I also am fortunate enough to really like being married so am quite happy to be known as Mrs.

I think, in these days of equality, there should be an equivalent title for married men who are proud to be married. Just can't think of one though.

MawB I know someone called Euphemia nicknamed Effie (like Effie Grey)
Always loved the name.

I was quite proud to take my husband’s surname when we married. It helps that his is a more ‘common’ name than my maiden name was, I was always having to spell it out.

I preferred being ‘Mrs Calendargirl’ than ‘Miss Calendargirl’ also.

Back then you had more status when married, or so it seemed.

But you didn’t have to lose your maiden name it was your choice to do so Alio8 you can keep your maiden name after your marriage it’s completely your choice
I am Ms by choice, because it means ‘none of your business whether I m married, single, or divorced’ just as Mr denotes no status
Your information about divorcees being called Ms is quite incorrect Alio And it’s absolutely up to you to take what title you wish
You wanted to be Mrs and you wanted your husbands name so what are you complaining about ??

FannyCornforth

Didn't divorced women continue to use Mrs?
That's what I thought used to happen

This one did

The “Ms. Means divorced “ is nonsense.

Namsnanny

MawB I know someone called Euphemia nicknamed Effie (like Effie Grey)
Always loved the name.

Aah, one of my old chums!