Life is bound to change forever once you become a member of the Royal Family. Kate Middleton understood this reality well before she became engaged to Prince William.

The Mirror recently republished a 2008 Sunday Express article, two years before the Cambridges' engagement, explaining a request Middleton made to a friend in anticipation of her royal wedding. The article goes on to say, "With Prince William's engagement looking certain (even Ladbrokes [a British betting company] has stopped accepting bets on whether the engagement will happen after a string of targeted bets), there are interesting signs that Kate Middleton is preparing for her future role."

"She seems to be taking it really seriously, too. In recent weeks, we have heard that this former accessories buyer has been quietly telling friends that she wants to drop the informal "Kate" and in the future be referred to by her full name: "Katherine."

In an article in the Express, royal expert Daniela Elser said Middleton's friends were "a little surprised" by the request, even though it was made in a "gentle" and "very joking" manner.

A friend of Middleton's told the paper, "Everyone knows that Kate and William's marriage is about to happen, but I was a little surprised by the request to call her Princess Catherine. I think she is beginning to be very aware of her position."

Middleton became engaged to Prince William in 2010 and they were married in Westminster Abbey in 2011.