Why Prince William Has Never Worn a Wedding Ring — and King Charles’ Is ‘Hidden’
When Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton, he did so with Princess Diana's iconic sapphire and diamond engagement ring. Over the years, the Princess of Wales has paired her iconic ring with Welsh gold and diamond bands, while the Prince of Wales has notably never worn a wedding band. Interestingly, King Charles also appears not to wear his.
As per Marie Claire, commenting on the same, former royal butler Grant Harrold explained, "Prince William’s decision not to wear a wedding ring is just down to personal choice, it’s not a royal tradition or rule...It’s not unusual for men in the upper classes to decide against wedding rings." The former butler noted that even the late Prince Philip did not wear one, but Charles actually does. Harrold claimed it is just 'hidden underneath' his signet ring. "He [Charles] wears a simple gold band underneath... on his little finger."
Charles has long been known for his signature gold pinky ring, engraved with the Prince of Wales crest, a jewelry he famously wore for decades. According to Harrold, the King "inherited it from his uncle, the Duke of Windsor," who also once held the Prince of Wales title. However, eagle-eyed royal watchers have recently noticed the monarch sporting what appears to be an updated version. With Charles, now King, it's believed the original ring may have been passed down to William, who currently holds the Prince of Wales title.
As for royal brides, the former butler shares that all royal women compulsory wear wedding rings. He shared, "All royals who wear wedding rings wear pieces made from Welsh gold, which is a royal family tradition. It’s a lovely way of connecting the generations and is something that’s very special to them." The tradition of using Welsh gold for wedding rings dates back over a century and remains one of their most sentimental customs. The practice began in 1923, when the Queen Mother reportedly received Welsh gold for her wedding ring. Since then, royal brides, including the late Queen Elizabeth, Queen Camilla, Middleton, and Meghan Markle, have followed suit.
Middleton's is a stunning 12-carat oval blue sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds, set in white gold. Meanwhile, Markle's ring was originally designed by Harry, featuring a central diamond from Botswana, flanked by two smaller stones from Diana's collection. The late Queen's engagement ring, meanwhile, designed by Prince Philip, featured a 3-carat round diamond from his mother's tiara, symbolizing sentimental royal heritage.