Why Does Kate Middleton Wear A Wedding Ring, But Prince William Doesn’t? What Is The Royal Tradition?

Kate Middleton is always seen with her gorgeous sapphire and diamond engagement ring that once belonged to Princess Diana, as well as a Welsh gold wedding band. Yet, Prince William does not wear his wedding ring, unlike his father Prince Charles. Why is it royal tradition for men not to wear their wedding rings?

Speaking to Vogue, royal insider Penny Junor, the author of the authorized book, The Duchess: Camilla Parker Bowles and the Love Affair that Rocked the Crown, has a few theories. Her first premise is based on a statement issues by the Palace simply stating that he prefers not to wear any jewelry.

“He doesn’t like jewelry, and the Palace issued a statement before their wedding saying so.”

According to the Daily Mail, Duchess Kate’s Welsh gold wedding ring has a lot of royal symbolism. How the ring was made is a “long-standing tradition” in royal marriages. The ring started out as a lump of gold, and melted down, before it was made into the specific design that Kate and William chose.

According to an insider, men like William, from a certain position in the upper echelon of society don’t commonly wear a wedding ring. Instead, they will wear a family signet ring. As William does not own a signet ring, he does not wear any sort of adornment on his fingers.

“It is quite common for men in that strata of society not to wear a traditional wedding band. If they do, they tend to wear it with their family signet ring but William doesn’t have one of those.”

In British tradition, men have never worn wedding rings. This includes Prince Philip, William’s grandfather and Queen Elizabeth’s husband of 70 years.

Yet, this tradition changed with WWII. Men began wearing their wedding ring to “remind them of home and their commitment to their wives and families.”

Interestingly enough, the heir to the throne, Prince Charles, always wore his wedding ring when married to Princess Diana, as now, while married to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Yet, William’s father has always worn his wedding band on his pinky finger, along with his Prince of Wales signet ring.

William and Kate have proven that they are “modern royals,” openly discussing mental health, William discussing the loss of his mother, Princess Diana, and making sure that their children lead a very normal life.

Yet, like many trends, what is old, is new again. Just as Kate Middleton wants to have a home birth for her third child, as Queen Elizabeth had previously done, Prince William is following in his grandfather’s footsteps and eschewing a ring.

Royal author Diane Clehane, author of Imagining Diana, believes that they are truly a millennial couple in their marriage.

“William and Kate have shown us they are modern royals and are confident in each other’s love for one another. Kate omitted the word ‘obey’ in her wedding vows, and William has opted not to wear a ring, which makes them like many millennial couples—intent on doing things their way.”

What do you think of Kate Middleton wearing her wedding ring, but Prince William deciding not to do so?

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