BBC Received 728 Complaints For Failing To Use Kate Middleton’s Correct Title

The BBC fielded nearly 730 audience complaints after failing to refer to Catherine, Princess of Wales, by her correct title earlier this month.

During a live broadcast on Armistice Day, the BBC News channel called the Princess of Wales “Kate Middleton” on a number of occasions. The BBC apologized for the error last week, but only later revealed that it received 728 viewer complaints.

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.”

The use of the word “errors” suggests that BBC News repeatedly referred to the Princess of Wales as Middleton during the broadcast. Presenter Rajini Vaidyanathan was anchoring the coverage.

Jim Shannon, a member of Parliament for Strangford, Northern Ireland, said: “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.”

During the remembrance event, Middleton attended the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, where the Last Post signalled the start of a national two-minute silence.

In a video message, she said: “When we remember, we connect with service in a personal way. We learn from the courage of others, and we carry their stories forward, so they are not forgotten.

“It’s not just about the past – it’s about shaping who we become in the future. Remembrance teaches us empathy, resilience, and responsibility. And when we wear a red poppy or take a moment of silence, we are saying, ‘Thank you. We have not forgotten, and we will not forget’.”