Fifteen years after the royal wedding, royal fans remain baffled that Prince William has never been seen wearing a wedding band—not even on his wedding day.
Kate's Iconic Rings
Princess Kate's engagement ring, originally given to Princess Diana by then-Prince Charles, is a 12-carat sapphire and diamond ring that sparked a trend for sapphire jewellery after William proposed in October 2010. At their wedding, Kate added a gold wedding band made from Welsh gold, one of the rarest types of gold, following royal tradition. She later added three more rings: a diamond eternity band after Prince George's birth in 2013, a sapphire-and-diamond band believed to be Cartier's Étincelle de Cartier, first seen in a 2024 video announcing her completed chemotherapy, and a slim pavé diamond band.
William's Choice
Unlike his brother Harry, who received a wedding ring from Meghan Markle during their Windsor ceremony, William had no ring presented during his service at Westminster Abbey. St. James's Palace announced this beforehand. A palace insider told The Mirror: "He's not one for jewellery. He's never worn any. He decided he didn't want to wear one now. It's all down to personal preference."
Family Precedent
William is not the only male royal to forgo a wedding band: his grandfather Prince Philip also opted out. According to the BBC, the custom of men wearing wedding rings became widespread after World War II, as soldiers wore them as reminders of their families. King Charles does wear a signet ring on the little finger of his left hand, and Harry chose a sleek platinum band.
All royal brides, including the late Queen, Diana, Kate, and Meghan, have had wedding bands made from gold from the Clogau St David's mine in North Wales.
