Why Kate Middleton Skipped Her Engagement Ring for Outing With Prince William

Princess Catherine, 43, made a surprise visit to Charing Cross Hospital with her husband, Prince William, 43, wearing only a simple gold wedding band.

The ornate engagement ring was notably absent from Kate Middleton’s look at the hospital outing, during which the Prince and Princess of Wales praised the efforts of NHS staff members and volunteers.

The 12-carat piece, which originally belonged to Princess Diana, features a large sapphire center stone surrounded by 14 diamonds. Experts estimate the white gold ring was purchased for approximately $60,000 and is now worth around $400,000.

The royal often wears her engagement ring stacked with a plain gold band and up to three other bejeweled bands. However, for this visit, she wore the most minimal of the bunch: the gold wedding band.

While the precise reason for the ring’s absence is unconfirmed, one hypothesis proposed by People magazine is that she may have been trying to stop the spread of germs.

NICE, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which provides recommendations for the U.K.’s NHS hospital system, says that “healthcare workers should make sure that their hands can be cleaned effectively throughout the time they are providing care by: removing wrist and hand jewelry.”

The guidelines also encourage visitors and staff to keep nails short, clean, and free of nail polish, which the Princess also abided by.

A 2022 NHS Dress Code policy document for a different hospital provides further specifics and states, “Rings with stones must not be worn in clinical areas as they compromise hand hygiene.” This may be why Middleton chose only to wear a gold band.

The Princess’s hair and makeup look was chic and daytime-appropriate, featuring her signature smoky eye, a deep side part, and an understated coral-pink lip color.

She kept her outfit simple, wearing a rich, monochrome burgundy blazer, tailored pants, and a flowing blouse. She accessorized with mixed-metal hoop earrings (without gemstones) and pointed heels.

Her DeMellier London Hudson bag ($525, DeMellier) made an appearance. Style blogs first spotted Middleton with the accessory in November, when she paired it with a houndstooth dress for a visit to the Anna Freud Centre, a children’s mental health charity in the U.K.

Considering the severity of the current flu season, we can all take inspiration from Princess Kate to prevent the spread of germs, even if that means leaving our prettiest rings at home.