Princess Catherine and Pippa Middleton Were Once Given a Cruel Nickname Over Their Rising Social Status

Princess Catherine and her younger sister, Pippa Middleton, were once given an unflattering nickname by the British press, reflecting the intense scrutiny surrounding their family before Catherine married Prince William.

The sisters, who are just two years apart, became increasingly familiar figures in the public eye as Catherine’s relationship with William developed. Pippa would later attract enormous attention at the couple’s 2011 wedding, while Catherine faced years of headlines of her own.

But according to royal author Simon Vigar, the sisters were once collectively labelled the “Wisteria Sisters” — a reference to the speed with which they were perceived to be moving upward through British society.

The nickname reflected the class scrutiny surrounding Catherine

Speaking on the latest episode of Talking Royals, Vigar explained that the nickname was part of a broader fascination with Catherine’s background and her changing social position.

Before becoming a senior member of the royal family, Catherine was a middle-class girl from Berkshire who eventually met William while studying at the University of St Andrews.

Vigar noted that the British media were particularly preoccupied with class and social status at the time, making Catherine’s rise especially notable.

“The British were obsessed with class,” he said, adding that people had underestimated how significant the transformation was for someone from a middle-class background to eventually reach such a prominent position within the monarchy.

Host Charlene White observed that the press had not always treated Catherine kindly.

Vigar agreed, pointing to several nicknames that had followed her during that period, including the infamous “Waity Katie” and the “Wisteria Sisters” label shared with Pippa.

The nickname was essentially linked to the sisters’ perceived social climbing, rather than their personal relationship.

Pippa also faced intense attention

Pippa, who is two years younger than Catherine, became particularly well known following her sister’s wedding to Prince William in April 2011.

She later married James Matthews in 2017, but long before that, she and Catherine had already attracted attention because of Catherine’s growing relationship with William.

According to Vigar, the scrutiny extended beyond the sisters themselves. Their mother, Carole Middleton, was also subjected to negative commentary because of her previous career as a flight attendant.

The family’s background became a recurring subject of discussion as Catherine’s relationship with William progressed.

From Berkshire to the royal family

Catherine and Pippa also grew up with their younger brother, James Middleton.

The family spent around two and a half years living in Jordan during Catherine’s early childhood before eventually returning to Berkshire.

Years later, Catherine began studying at the University of St Andrews, where she met William in the early 2000s.

Their relationship eventually progressed to an engagement in late 2010, followed by their wedding at Westminster Abbey in April 2011.

What once made Catherine and Pippa the subject of pointed media nicknames would ultimately become part of a much bigger transformation: Catherine went from a young woman outside the traditional royal aristocracy to the Princess of Wales and a future queen.