The Princess of Wales was spotted with the ring in a video with Prince William for Team GB at the Olympics.
Princess Kate made a rare appearance in a video with Prince William, sharing a congratulatory message for Team GB for their performance at the Paris Olympics 2024.
The Princess of Wales was seen sporting her favoured Ralph Lauren breton stripe top and eagle-eyed fans also spotted she wasn’t wearing her usual engagement ring.
Instead, she was seen wearing a band, said to be an eternity ring gifted by William to symbolise their love, especially as the couple endure hardships such as Kate’s ongoing preventative chemotherapy.
It is also possible that Kate’s 12-carat diamond and sapphire engagement ring is being resized or cleaned and she is wearing the band in the meantime.
Tony French from Diamonds Factory has commented on why Kate may be wearing the ring, as well as analysing the style of the piece in relation to the Princess’s usual style of jewellery.
Mr French explained: “It is currently being speculated that The Princess of Wales has chosen to wear the ring as an eternity ring. These are usually gifted to a partner when a couple have surpassed a major milestone – like anniversaries or births – or as a show of love and commitment. With the rumours that have surrounded the couple earlier in the year, this can be seen as a subtle nod to the public by Kate and Will that they are in love more than ever.
“It is unusual that an engagement ring would be removed in place of an eternity ring. So, if the infamous Princess Diana ring is being cleaned or resized, it seems that Princess Kate has used the ring in its place to help disperse any rumours.
“The ring looks to be a more subtle and understated band compared to her sizable engagement ring. The style of the intricate ring seems to be gold composed with small gemstones which are either garnets or sapphires.”
He continued: “This looks to resemble the promise ring that Prince William gave Kate at university when they first started dating; this was a rose-gold Victorian band embellished with pearls and garnets: representing both their birthstones. If the stones are sapphires, then it is the perfect homage to the ring it replaced.”
The expert also explained that Kate has very specific tastes when it comes to jewellery, saying: “Kate Middleton’s usual jewellery style tends to be very influenced and dependent on what outfit she has chosen to wear. Because of this, she has been seen to style both gold and silver jewellery.
The designs of her rings and earrings are traditionally fitting for the modern world of jewellery trends, with intricate gold and silver designs that emboss gemstones to give them a subtle statement. Amongst her favourites are pearls which are fitting for them being Prince William’s birthstone.
“When it comes to bracelets, her affinity for intricate gold and silver designs also takes precedence. Only seen on her right hand, she opts for designs that feature textured bands of chains or gemstones. This is also mirrored with her necklace choices, which tend to feature a small chain, donned with a statement gemstone pendant. Her choice for gemstones sets the bar for current trends as we are seeing more and more commercial jewellery opt for more traditional stones like emeralds and sapphires, similar to the Princess’ style of garnets and pearls.”