Princess Kate and Prince William thrilled royal fans over the weekend with a video wishing Team GB success at the Olympics.
While many were fascinated by the Prince of Wales’ beard, sharp-eyed viewers spotted another unexpected detail.
In the brief clip, the Princess of Wales showcased a new ring alongside her engagement ring, prompting speculation about why she wasn’t wearing her wedding ring.
“During cancer treatment, there are several practical reasons why someone might need to take off their rings,” says Dazhi, who is a medical contributor for Drugwatch. “Chemotherapy can cause fluid retention in the hands, which might make rings tight and difficult.”
It’s not just fluid retention that could be causing issues for the Princess of Wales, though. “Metal rings could interfere with the radiation therapy and cause issues such as burns on the skin around the ring,” Dazhi continues.
Dazhi adds that cancer treatments can also make the skin more sensitive to irritation, and wearing rings could aggravate these conditions.
Finally, removing her jewellery could protect the royal from infection, Dazhi explains: “Since patients are at high risk of getting infections during chemotherapy, removing rings can help prevent skin infections. Overall, taking off rings during cancer treatment can help avoid these potential problems.”
Since Princess Kate is still wearing her sapphire engagement ring along with another ring, it is likely that she removed her wedding ring because it had become too tight. She has replaced her wedding ring with a band featuring alternating diamonds and a dark-colored stone, possibly a ruby or garnet.
Rubies are known to symbolize passion, love, courage, and good fortune, and they are believed to enhance energy, intuition, and spiritual insight. The ring might also hold sentimental value, as colored gemstones are often used to represent birthstones—Princess Kate’s is garnet, matching the stones in her ring.
Although this second band hasn’t been seen publicly before, Maxwell Stone from jeweler Steven Stone revealed that it has been part of her collection for many years.
“During their university days, William gave Kate a promise ring, and though it’s hard to be certain, recent footage of the royal couple suggests she may be wearing this sentimental piece again. The ring is set on a rose gold Victorian band, featuring two garnets – Kate’s birthstone – and pearls to represent William’s June birthstone.”
