BBC's Laura Kuenssberg forced to apologise on air for awkward Kate Middleton blunder
BBC's Laura Kuenssberg was forced to apologise on air as she made an awkward blunder while trying to speculate who would be sitting next to Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, at the Wimbledon women's final between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt.
Kate Middleton: Laura Kuenssberg apologises for blunder
Speaking on Brexitcast, the BBC Editor claimed the last two remaining Tory leadership candidates, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt, will have to act as "quasi Prime Minister" until the Conservative membership will pick one of them to replace Theresa May. But as she speculated on all the events the two leadership hopefuls will have to participate to ahead of the last leg of the leadership contest, Ms Kuenssberg was forced to apologise for referring to the Duchess of Cambridge with her maiden name.
She said: “Imagine if Johanna Konta gets to the final round of the Wimbledon ladies final.
“They will be begging for tickets in the Royal Box.
“Who is going to sit next to Kate Middleton?
“Oh my goodness, will it be Boris on one side and Jeremy on the other?”
As her colleague Adam Fleming pointed out to her she should have said "Duchess of Cambridge", the BBC editor immediately apologised.
They will be begging for tickets in the Royal Box. Who is going to sit next to Kate Middleton?
It comes as the former Foreign Secretary topped, once again, the fifth round of the Tory leadership contest on Thursday.
The huge support received by his colleagues put Boris Johnson in the first place, followed by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
Securing third place and dropping out of the race, Michael Gove received the support of 75 MPs - only two votes less than those received by Mr Hunt.
The battle to become Prime Minister will see the final two contenders face a gruelling series of 16 hustings across the UK, starting in Birmingham on Saturday, and continuing up and down the country over the next month.
Kate Middleton and William greet children
Mr Hunt has previously cultivated a reputation as a statesmanlike and safe – if not slightly dull - operator and this lack of drama was part of the reason MPs narrowly handed him a two-vote victory over his rival Michael Gove.
Admitting he was the underdog to clear favourite Mr Johnson, Mr Hunt said: “We are going to give Boris the fight of his life.
"He needs to be ready for that because we’re going to be going out there and making strong arguments that this is the best way to deliver Brexit, with someone who can go and get a better deal from the European Union.”