The BBC has been forced to apologise to Princess Catherine after an on-air slip — just two words long — was widely condemned as “disrespectful” toward the future Queen.

Backlash Over Use of Catherine’s Maiden Name

The controversy began during the broadcaster’s Remembrance Day coverage last Tuesday, when the Princess of Wales, 43, was referred to as “Kate Middleton,” a name she hasn’t used since marrying Prince William in 2011.

The mistake triggered criticism across the UK, with many accusing the BBC of carelessness — and even intentional disrespect.

MP Jim Shannon, who represents Strangford in Northern Ireland, publicly called the organisation out on X, writing:
“A reminder to @BBCNews to educate its broadcasters that the Princess of Wales has not been ‘Kate Middleton’ since 2011. Her correct title is Catherine, Princess of Wales. Get it right.”

BBC Responds to Complaints

By Friday, the BBC released a formal statement acknowledging it had “received complaints from people unhappy that we didn’t use the Princess of Wales’s correct title during our coverage of Armistice Day.”

“During our coverage of memorials to commemorate Armistice Day we mistakenly referred to Catherine, Princess of Wales as Kate Middleton; these were errors during hours of live broadcasting for which we apologise,” the statement said.

The network added, “Throughout our Armistice Day coverage more broadly, we referred to Catherine by her correct title.”

Viewers Question the Sincerity of the Apology

Despite the broadcaster’s clarification, many viewers remained unconvinced — insisting the mistake wasn’t accidental at all.

“A mistake is once. This was deliberately intended to diminish her,” one person claimed.

“It wasn’t a mistake, they knew what they were doing, they just didn’t think anyone would call them out on it,” another viewer said.

A third added: “Another ‘mistake/error’ from the Beeb…it was DELIBERATE! Unbelievable gaslighting and the apology was long overdue.”

Catherine’s Title and Public Recognition

Catherine officially dropped her maiden name when she became the Duchess of Cambridge upon her marriage to Prince William in 2011.

When Queen Elizabeth II passed away in 2022 and King Charles III took the throne, he announced that William and Catherine would become the Prince and Princess of Wales, along with several other titles.

However, journalists — especially in the US and online — often still refer to her as Kate Middleton because the name remains highly recognisable.

In fact, Google Trends data from the past year shows “Kate Middleton” continues to be searched more frequently than alternative terms like Princess Kate, Princess Catherine, or Catherine, Princess of Wales.