Why Prince William Doesn’t Wear a Wedding Ring

Prince William’s decision to not wear a wedding ring seemingly has nothing to do with Princess Kate’s disappearance from the public eye. 

As William, 41, continues to step out for royal engagements while Kate, 42, maintains a low-profile following a planned abdominal surgery, spectators have noticed that William has no band on that finger. 

While the observation has only fueled rumors about the couple’s marriage and speculation about Kate stepping away from the spotlight, it seems William has never worn a wedding ring in the first place. (Kensington Palace said in January that Kate is recovering from the procedure and would resume royal engagements after Easter.) 

Before William and Kate’s wedding in April 2011, the palace confirmed that William would not be wearing a ring on the big day. “There will only be one ring, which is in accordance with the wishes of Prince William and Catherine,” a royal spokesperson told Us Weekly at the time.“It’s quite common for there to just be the one ring in society or royal weddings. It’s been the same in other royal weddings, so it’s not a rare occurrence.” 

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A different insider told the Mirror that William’s choice came down to personal preference. “He’s not one for jewelry. He’s never worn any. He decided he didn’t want to wear one now,” the spokesperson said. 

William’s late grandfather Prince Philip also opted to not wear a wedding band throughout his marriage to Queen Elizabeth II. Prince Harry, who married Meghan Markle in May 2018, is often seen wearing his wedding band, however. (Perhaps his stance on the accessory is a bit different considering he and Meghan are no longer working members of the royal family.) 

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Royal expert Eloise Parker explained to Marie Claire in 2018 that it’s “never been traditional for royal men to wear one.” She added, “I think when you have a wedding watched by millions, everyone knows you’re married.” 

Kate, meanwhile, always dons her ring made of Welsh gold stacked with her sapphire and diamond engagement ring. The sparkler belonged to William’s late mother, Princess Diana, who died in a car crash in August 1997 when William was 15. 

Meghan, 42, for her part, wears a three-stone diamond that features two stones from Diana’s jewelry collection.