Kate Middleton was recently spotted without her iconic 12-carat Ceylon sapphire engagement ring. The Princess of Wales doesn’t step out often without it — but it has happened before. Why would Kate ditch her engagement ring during her royal visit to Liverpool? Here’s what our experts had to say.
Kate Middleton’s engagement ring is the most valuable in the royal family
Royal fans first saw Kate’s sapphire and diamond engagement ring more than four decades ago when then-Prince Charles gave it to Princess Diana ahead of their royal wedding in 1981. When the princess passed away in 1997, it was actually Prince Harry who inherited the ring. But when William was ready to propose to Kate, Harry gave the ring to his brother.
Considered to be the most valuable engagement ring in the royal family, Kate’s ring originates from Sri Lanka and is estimated to be worth £390,000 ($475K).
Why did the Princess of Wales ditch her ring?
According to the fine jewelry experts at UK retailer Steven Stone, Kate was seen without her engagement ring during her recent royal visit with William to Royal Liverpool University Hospital in Merseyside. The reason she left the ring at home, according to those same experts, was for health and safety.
This isn’t the first time that the Princess of Wales has removed her most precious piece of jewelry for a hospital visit, says diamond expert Maxwell Stone.
“Kate’s reason for temporarily removing her ring at Royal Liverpool University Hospital is likely to be down to health and safety. It’s not the first time that the Princess of Wales has been seen without the precious jewel for a hospital visit, and she removed it during her visit to both Evelina Children’s Hospital in 2020 and Great Ormond Street two years earlier,” Stone explained.
However, it’s not just the hospital visits that cause Kate to remove her ring. As a keen sportswoman with an active lifestyle, the Princess of Wales has removed her ring to participate in events like last year’s Team Great Britain race against New Zealand. It was also absent from her finger during the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Kate Middleton isn’t the only princess who has ditched her engagement ring
“It’s a shame that she has to remove her gorgeous sapphire to participate in events – though sapphires are an extremely durable gemstone, Kate’s boasts both sentimental and monetary value, so she wouldn’t want to risk damaging it,” Stone said.
To avoid having to remove her ring during sporting events, Stone says that Zara Tindall’s husband Mike purposefully had it designed with a low profile setting.
The expert noted that it’s “incredibly rare” to see one of the royal ladies without their precious gem. The only exception is Queen Letizia, who hasn’t been seen with her ring for over a decade.
Both Kate and Sophie Wessex ditched their engagement rings for royal visits during the pandemic. And during the final stages of their pregnancies, Kate, Diana, and Meghan Markle were spotted without their engagement rings.
