The BBC has issued a rare public apology to the Princess of Wales for referring to her as Kate Middleton during live coverage of Britain’s Armistice Day commemorations on November 11.
The future queen is more formally referred to as “Catherine, Princess of Wales,” a title which she has held since King Charles III’s accession in September 2022. Many, though, still refer to her by her maiden name, Kate Middleton. Newsweek’s house style is to refer to her using the shortened Princess Kate, marrying the version of her first name that has the most public recognition according to Google data, together with her royal title.
BBC News was hit by a backlash over its live coverage of the princess’ visit to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, England, on November 11, during which a presenter said: “We’ll take you to the arboretum in Staffordshire, as we said there, Kate Middleton attending that ceremony. Let’s have a listen in.”
In a statement, the BBC said: “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. Throughout our Armistice Day coverage more broadly, we referred to Catherine by her correct title.”
Why It Matters
How to name the princess has become a highly charged question, with some of her most ardent supporters suggesting it is disrespectful to refer to her using her maiden name.
The backlash also came at an awkward time for the BBC, which has faced a high-profile public debate surrounding impartiality following an edit of President Donald Trump’s remarks ahead of the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
BBC bosses apologized to Trump, who has vowed to sue the broadcaster for up to $5 billion. The corporation has said it will fight the case.
The Many Names of Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales
Some argue that any reference to “Kate” rather than “Catherine” is disrespectful, but Prince William has addressed her as Kate on camera before, including during their engagement interview in 2010. Others say that even “Catherine, Princess of Wales” is wrong, and that the only technically correct form is: “Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales.”
The prince and princess have never expressed any preference, let alone offense, though they do generally use Catherine in social media posts, which she sometimes signs off “C.”
Kensington Palace uses “The Princess of Wales” or “Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales” in official communications, but never “Kate” and only very rarely “Catherine, Princess of Wales.” Recent examples include a press release that accompanied a video message from the princess in which she disclosed she had been receiving chemotherapy for cancer in March 2024, and another at the end of her treatment that September.
All media organizations must strike a delicate balance between the correct form of the princess’ name and a version that ordinary viewers and readers actually recognize. Google Trends demonstrates that by a substantial margin the most common search term remains “Kate Middleton.”
Princess Kate is not the only one in this position, of course. Newsweek is among many outlets to refer to the monarch as King Charles III, when he is in reality described as “His Majesty the King” internally at the palace. The same was true of Queen Elizabeth II, who was known officially as “Her Majesty The Queen” in life, and is now posthumously referred to by the Monarchy as “Her Late Majesty The Queen,” and sometimes abbreviated to “HLMTQ” in more informal communications.
The BBC’s Coverage of Princess Kate on Armistice Day
Kate was solo during her appearance in Staffordshire as the nation observed a two-minute silence marking the anniversary of the Armistice Agreement that ended World War One, on the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month. It is Britain’s equivalent of Veteran’s Day.
A clip of the presenter’s comments went viral after author Adrian Hilton wrote on X: “Just BBC News on #ArmisticeDay casually announcing the arrival of ‘Kate Middleton’.”
“A minor thing, of course,” Hilton continued. “I doubt many noticed, and I’m sure even fewer were offended. But there will be BBC guidelines on forms of address, which were just summarily and heedlessly discarded to do to the Princess of Wales what the tabloid press habitually does to her (and they may now officially do to Andrew).
“The journalist may herself be a republican, and may not respect the Royal family. But when you speak for the state broadcaster you speak to the nation, for the nation. One expects better from the BBC.”
Hilton later posted a screenshot of a BBC headline that read “Kate and Queen lay Armistice Day wreaths as nation pays tribute,” and suggested it was disrespectful. The BBC later changed the headline.
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