The Princess of Wales has opted not to wear the ornate sapphire wedding ring that once belonged to her late mother-in-law Princess Diana during recent public appearances.
Kate Middleton, 42, has instead been wearing a thin golden ring, topped with what some have speculated is a new ‘eternity band’.
For the royal’s latest outing in Southport yesterday shimmering diamond rings were stacked on top as Kate was seen with Prince William.
Although her new stack does not include Princess Diana’s engagement ring, she has been sure to keep a sweet nod to her mother-in-law by wearing an ‘eternity band’ that is set with sapphires – the same gemstone in the famous ring.
The new accessory that matches Princess Diana’s 12-carat engagement ring was worn by Kate while making a congratulatory video for Team GB following their success at the Paris Olympics and then again during her heartwarming family video released last month.
Kate speaks with members of the emergency services during a visit to Southport yesterday with Prince William
The mother-of-three opted instead for a thin golden ring, topped with what some have speculated is a new ‘eternity band’
Princess Diana’s engagement ring boasts a 12-carat Ceylon sapphire surrounded by a cluster of 14 solitaire diamonds set in white gold.
It was designed by the crown jeweller Garrard and inspired by the sapphire and diamond cluster brooch that was made for Prince Albert in 1840, which he went on to gift Queen Victoria as a wedding present and she wore it as her ‘something blue’.
It was reported that Diana picked out the jewel herself, while others claim that she chose it because it was the biggest and reminded her of her mother’s engagement ring.
Princess Diana loved her engagement ring so much that she continued to wear it after her divorce from Prince Charles in 1996.
She then started wearing an emerald-cut aquamarine ring in its place – the same one that Meghan Markle wore with her second wedding dress.
The aquamarine ring is thought to be around £75,000 because of the size, colour and quality of the centre diamond and a diamond from one of her rings was also used to make Meghan Markle’s engagement ring.
When Diana passed away in 1997, Prince William and Prince Harry inherited her jewellery collection, which included her engagement ring, according to Good Housekeeping.
Prince Charles and Diana Spencer at Buckingham Palace after announcing their engagement
Princess Diana loved her engagement ring and continued to wear it after the divorce
The late Princess wrote: ‘I would like you to allocate all my jewellery to the share to be held by my sons, so that their wives may, in due course, have it or use it. I leave the exact division of the jewellery to your discretion.’
There are rumours that while Harry originally picked out the sapphire gem, after he saw William’s love for Kate Middleton, the Prince exchanged the engagement ring for his mother’s Cartier watch, so that the Duke of Cambridge could propose to this Duchess.
Prince William reportedly had the ring with him for three weeks while they were on holiday in Mount Kenya in 2010 and when he announced the engagement, he said: ‘It’s my mother’s engagement ring, and it’s very special to me, as Kate is very special to me now as well.
‘It was only right the two were put together. It was my way of making sure mother didn’t miss out on today and the excitement.’
After making a few alterations, Kate’s ring became one of the world’s most famous rings, now worth over $500,000 (£393,000).
Prince William proposed to Catherine with his late mother’s sapphire ring in Kenya in 2010
Kate Middleton’s engagement ring is shown on the day of the engagement announcement in 2010
Meghan Markle seen here wearing Princess Diana’s aquamarine ring to her wedding reception
Kate Middleton wears Diana’s sapphire ring at the ICAP charity day in 2015
Arriving yesterday in Southport as the autumn afternoon sun shone, the Princess did not wear the sapphire ring.
Royal fans have speculated that the new ‘eternity ring’ she wore instead was a gift from William to mark ‘the next phase of her life’ following the end of her cancer treatment.
Catherine, who has undergone several months of chemotherapy after being diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, looked beautiful yesterday in a berry ensemble.
William, in a nod to his wife, also donned a berry jumper.
The mother-of-three donned a Whistles Margot polka dot dress from the high street store’s 2018 collection, costing £159 at the time, and appeared to have added a pussybow detail to the collar.
Kate Middleton, 42, who made an appearance in her first joint official outing with Prince William since her course of chemotherapy cancer treatment ended in the summer
The Princess of Wales opted not to wear her engagement ring as she joined her husband for a surprise visit to meet the bereaved families of the Southport stabbing victims
Pictured: The Princess of Wales wore minimal jewellery and a £85 Ralph Lauren striped t-shirt for a congratulatory message for Team GB in August
The Princess was also seen with a a new band on her wedding ring finger, leading royal fans to speculate it is an eternity ring (pictured)
The Princess of Wales once again swapped out her engagement ring for her stunning eternity band in a touching video shared in September
She layered the frock with a structured pea coat from her favourite designer Alexander McQueen. Kate accessorised with her Gold Fern Drop Earrings from Catherine Zoraida, costing £165.
Kate previously donned her structured pea coat to the Earthshot Awards in Boston, when she travelled to the US in December 2022 to support Prince William.
During the Waleses’ visit, the couple also spent time with dance teacher Leanne Lucas, 35, who was seriously injured as she shielded youngsters as they were attacked by a knifeman during a Taylor Swift-themed summer holiday class.
Afterwards the couple spoke to emergency responders who attended and helped on the day.
Prince William had promised the families and local community he would visit as soon as possible and his visit has long been scheduled in.
But the decision by his wife to join him was more recent. It is understood that she wanted to ‘show her support, empathy and compassion to the local community’.
A smile that will warm the hearts of royal fans: The Princess of Wales beamed as she sat down in Southport
At the time of the incident the couple shared a personal message of shock and sympathy for those affected and, like her husband, the princess has kept a keen eye on events since.
It is understood that it was important to them to go now, three months later, to show the people of Southport that they have not been forgotten and they’ll continue to stand by the community in the future.
William and Catherine’s Royal Foundation made a donation to the the National Police and Wellbeing Service’s fundraiser to help fast track psychological and physical rehabilitation for police and ambulance personnel who were involved in the attack and the subsequent riots.
