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.”