I’ll never forget a trip to London with my husband where we met up with one of his British pals. We met at a pub where we caught up about life, love and work, but after that, I couldn’t help but mention the royals: “What do you think about Kate Middleton?” I asked. (For the record, this visit took place not long after she and Prince William got hitched.) His expression was blank: “Who?”
Kate Middleton vs. Princess Catherine: Why It Might Be Time to Officially Retire Kate
A royal reflection on the BBC apology
Published Nov 17, 2025
•4:22pm
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No, my husband’s friend wasn’t being cheeky, nor was he living under a rock when it came to all things royal-related: Instead, he needed a simple clarification. “Oh! Princess Catherine, you mean!”
Today, with an apology issued by the BBC for referring to Kate Middleton as, well, Kate Middleton during a live broadcast last week on Armistice Day, the difference bears discussing—is it time to officially embrace Catherine instead of Kate?
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In the case of the BBC, the response to what they dubbed an “error” during live coverage was swift. Jim Shannon, a member of Parliament for Strangford, Northern Ireland, didn’t mince words with this post on X: “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.” Ouch.
I’ll admit that in my years covering the British Royal Family, be it here on PureWow or as co-host of the Royally Obsessed podcast, I’m frequently on the receiving end of notes questioning why I refer to Princess Catherine as Kate. A kinder-than-typical inquiry emailed my way in late summer asked: “Why do you insist on calling the Princess of Wales Kate Middleton? Surely, that is totally incorrect. Have I missed something?”
The best I can offer is a stateside point of view: It’s true that Kate Middleton became Princess Catherine the minute she married Prince William in April 2011. But (but!) her unmarried moniker, which the world grew accustomed to for the nearly 10 years she dated Prince William, is her brand. Kate Middleton—not Princess Catherine—is a household name (at least in the United States).
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Think of it this way: When you want to read the latest about the Princess of Wales—be it about the date of her annual Christmas concert, a messy (and kid-related) DIY or a solo appearance at Remembrance Day—what do you Google? Do you type in Princess Catherine? Or is your short-hand Kate Middleton? (Yep, it’s true that Internet search results are also a factor here.)
There’s one final point to be made on the matter: Beyond the fact that Kate Middleton is a household name, it’s also one that cements her relatability. Princess Catherine—who will ultimately become Queen Catherine—is full of formality. It’s giving “queen in her castle” vibes, which, IMO, is fine when the time comes, but let’s not retire Kate yet. The option to call her Kate elevates her ongoing accessibility and serves as a reminder of her commoner-turned-royal status.
Which leads me to my take and how we’re handling it at PureWow. Our coverage typically leads with Kate Middleton, then transitions over to refer to her as Princess Catherine—something I like to think of as a happy medium. In other words, I’m personally ready to make the switch to more formality, but given our collective consciousness knows her first and foremost as Kate Middleton, baby steps.
More than anything—and with the BBC’s apology top of mind—calling her Kate Middleton is by no means a sign of disrespect. In fact, it’s the opposite. A term of endearment, if you will. But one that’s also more likely to show up in my Google search.
