The Princess of Wales made a surprise appearance on Thursday, joining her husband Prince William for a joint engagement at Charing Cross Hospital, where they met with a range of staff members.

The royal appeared her usual polished self, dressed in a burgundy suit with her hair styled in tumbling curls. However, keen royal watchers may have noticed that she wasn’t wearing her signature sapphire engagement ring. Instead, only her simple gold wedding band was visible.

This choice was likely not personal but related to the location of the engagement. In previous hospital visits, the Princess has been seen removing her chunky sapphire ring due to infection control precautions. For instance, in 2018, during a visit to Great Ormond Street Hospital, Kensington Palace explained to HELLO! magazine that Kate had taken off her accessories to avoid any potential hygiene hazards while visiting children’s wards.

According to the NHS website, standard infection control guidelines for clinical settings recommend:
“Remove all hand and wrist jewellery. The wearing of a single, plain metal finger ring, e.g. a wedding band, is permitted but should be removed (or moved up) during hand hygiene.”

### The History of Kate’s Engagement Ring

Kate was first given this precious piece of jewelry in 2012, when Prince William proposed during a private holiday in Kenya. The ring originally belonged to Princess Diana and carries significant sentimental value. Diana chose the ring from Garrard ahead of her 1981 marriage to the then-Prince Charles, reportedly because it reminded her of her own mother’s engagement ring.

There have been rumours around the ring’s inheritance. Some claimed Prince Harry had inherited the ring and passed it to William for his proposal to Kate. However, Harry’s memoir *Spare* debunks this story as “nonsense,” confirming he did not inherit the ring and there was no symbolic handover between the brothers.

Another common myth was that the ring was too large for Kate. During a 2023 public appearance in Wales, the Princess addressed this directly, saying, “It’s the same ring and it was exactly the same size when I tried it on. I’m honoured to wear it, I never sadly got to meet her.”

—

### More Royal Updates

– **Sarah Ferguson’s £70k Engagement Ring**
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, wore her expensive engagement ring for many years after her divorce from Prince Andrew, to whom she was married from 1986 to 1996.

– **Pippa Middleton’s Romantic Twist on Sister Kate’s Viral Engagement Dress**
In some recently unearthed photos, Pippa Middleton is seen wearing the same dress Princess Kate wore during her post-engagement interview with Prince William, but in a different color.

– **Princess Kate Oozes ‘Opulence’ as She Kickstarts 2026**
The Prince and Princess of Wales visited Charing Cross Hospital in west London as joint patrons of NHS Charities Together.

– **Princess Kate’s Cancer Journey Admission**
During the hospital visit, the Princess made a poignant two-word admission related to her cancer journey.

– **The Quiet Way the Princess of Wales and Her Children Give Back**
Last year, the Wales children donated essential items to The Baby Bank in Windsor as part of their local community contributions.

– **Princess of Wales’ Forest Lodge Home Ready for the New Year**
Forest Lodge, located on the Windsor Home Park estate, is the family’s new home where they live with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

– **Royal Nanny’s ‘Requirement’ with George, Charlotte and Louis**
Princess Kate insists on personally undertaking a particular parenting task that is usually managed by the family nanny, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo.

– **Prince Edward’s Secret Proposal That Stunned Duchess Sophie**
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh announced their engagement on January 6, 1999, but the way Prince Edward proposed was unconventional and surprising.

—

The Princess of Wales continues to balance her royal duties with family life, all while honoring meaningful traditions such as wearing Princess Diana’s iconic engagement ring during public appearances—except when practical considerations, like hospital infection control, call for exceptions.
https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/876877/princess-kate-no-engagement-ring-charing-cross-hospital-visit/