Kate Middleton's Wedding Ring Placement Might Mean More Than You Think

Princess Diana's sapphire engagement ring has always been a perfect fit for Catherine, Princess of Wales, but on occasion, she is seen without it. Her usual ring stack includes her engagement ring, gold wedding band, and her eternity band — a piece of jewelry which William, Prince of Wales, gifted her after the birth of their eldest son, Prince George of Wales. A newer jewelry development introduced a sapphire and diamond eternity band, which she wore in 2024, seemingly as a substitute for the Diana heirloom. At Wimbledon 2025, however, Kate was seen wearing all four rings together, and royal watchers believe there is a subtle meaning to her choice.

Before 2024, the princess was seldom seen without her engagement ring since William proposed in 2010. However, after 14 years of adornment, Kate's finger got a little bit lighter when she seemingly replaced the large ring with a flashy mystery ring. It has been speculated that the new addition to her ring stack was given to her by William, not only as a substitute for her to wear during chemotherapy treatments after being diagnosed with cancer in early 2024, but likely also to signify her strength amid her serious health issues.

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According to Brittany Provance, Editor-in-Chief of Royal News Network, Kate's choice to wear all of her rings together could symbolize her love for William, considering he seemingly gave her each piece. " ... by wearing all the rings together at Wimbledon, it seems like she's signifying her journey as a royal and marriage with William," the expert told The List, adding, "from her engagement, to marriage, to her first-born son and future king, but now also her cancer journey."

Even with her subtle sentiment about her marriage at Wimbledon, Catherine, Princess of Wales and William, Prince of Wales can't stop the divorce rumors. It's partially because the Waleses do not show much affection in public because of their royal positions — unlike Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's excessive PDA. While Kate and William share much of their lives with the world, they know to maintain professionalism. However, Brittany Provance explained how sometimes the couple will give us a glimpse of their love through body language.

"They naturally tend to mimic each other, as couples who have spent years together do," said Provance. "Their competitiveness also comes into play at various royal engagements, and they do subtly touch each other affectionately at events." The royal pair's playfulness is a clear sign that the honeymoon phase is still prevalent in their relationship. And sometimes, they will shock the public with a quick bout of PDA — e.g., when Kate tapped William on the butt at the 2023 BAFTAs (as seen above). Provance added, "Overall, the couple seem to have come through this cancer battle stronger than ever."

Prince William's expensive gift is just one of the many ways he showed his unwavering support for his wife through a very troubling time. When rumors swirled about Kate Middleton's absence from the public eye in 2024, her husband reportedly reached his boiling point with the press and attempted damage control. "William is under so much strain, and he is livid about what is being written and said about his ailing wife," royal expert Christopher Andersen told The Royal Observer at the time. "Fists have been slammed on tables and angry emails have been sent."

Though it was a tough — or, as he told Associated Press reporters, "brutal" — year for William, dealing with both the cancer diagnoses of his wife and father, King Charles III, Kate had only kind words to say about her husband amid the family's challenges in a video posted to TikTok. "He's been amazing," she told royal fans during a February 2025 trip to Pontypridd, Wales. The user who took the video wrote in the comments: "It was lovely to see them looking so happy after all they went through." In January 2025, the Princess of Wales announced on Instagram that she was in remission, marking the end of a harrowing year.