Kate Middleton's awkward shopping blunder saw her let slip her secret name

The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, is often spotted out and about shopping with her children, but one particular moment left her red-faced and having to use a secret name

The Princess of Wales, like many of us, seems to enjoy a bit of retail therapy from time to time. However, during one shopping trip, Kate inadvertently revealed a secret alias she occasionally uses.

This incident occurred shortly after her wedding to Prince William in 2011, when the couple resided in Wales where William served as a search and rescue pilot at RAF Valley. The Royal duo rented a farmhouse near the seaside town of Rhosneigr in Anglesey, as neither were full-time working royals at the time.

Locals would frequently spot Kate doing her grocery shopping at the local Waitrose supermarket and perusing other shops, including a watersports store close to their former residence. But during one visit to Funsport, Kate experienced an embarrassing yet relatable mishap - she had to give the shopkeeper a secret name.

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This happened when she attempted to purchase a wetsuit but realised she had left her purse behind and couldn't pay. Unaware shopkeeper Dave Buckland then asked Kate for her name when she requested to reserve the wetsuit to pick up later when she had money with her.

And the pseudonym she used was "Mrs Cambridge" - paying homage to her past title, Duchess of Cambridge. According to a report from the Mail on Sunday, the unsuspecting shopkeeper didn't catch on, reports the Mirror.

An unnamed insider recalled the 2012 encounter: "He was looking straight at her and actually commented that it was quite an unusual surname. He hadn't a clue who she was. She just smiled and said she'd be back. He hasn't lived it down since."

Kate Middleton has faced her fair share of relatable slip-ups while out shopping, with one mishap occurring when she was accompanied by her two eldest kids, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Back in 2018, they visited London's Peter Jones department store for school shoes.

However, it wasn't without a hiccup she made a mistake many parents might find familiar. A source disclosed to Hello!

magazine that Kate had forgotten to bring socks for George and Charlotte to try on with their new footwear.

Caught out by the hot weather and the children's summer sandals, Kate ended up having to borrow socks from the store to ensure the shoes fit perfectly.

Prior to their enrolment at Lambrook, both George and Charlotte were students at Thomas's School in Battersea, while Prince Louis attended Wilcocks Nursery School in South Kensington. Their present school, Lambrook, caters to boys and girls aged three to 13 years as a day and boarding school.

For the time being, the Wales children are day pupils.