Overview
- In a Nov. 14 statement, the BBC said it mistakenly used “Kate Middleton” during live Armistice Day coverage and apologized for the on-air errors.
- Presenter Rajini Vaidyanathan repeatedly used the princess’s maiden name during a live segment from the National Memorial Arboretum, prompting viewer complaints.
- MP Jim Shannon publicly urged the broadcaster to use the correct form of address, while the BBC said most remembrance programming used her proper title.
- The episode unfolds as the BBC also faces fallout from an edited Trump documentary, for which it apologized as Director General Tim Davie and news chief Deborah Turness resigned and Trump threatened multi‑billion‑dollar litigation.
- The incident has revived debate over naming conventions, with outlets noting Google search data shows “Kate Middleton” remains far more widely used than formal titles.