Why Prince William doesn't wear a wedding ring - but Harry does

07 February 2024 , 16:14

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William doesn't wear a wedding ring, but Harry does (Image: Getty Images)

Millions of people across the world watched Kate and William tie the knot back in 2011, but likely only eagle-eyed royal fans have noticed that William has never worn a wedding ring, but his brother Prince Harry has worn one since his marriage to Meghan in 2018.

That William wouldn't wear a wedding ring was announced even before the royal wedding had taken place, and he wasn't presented with one during the ceremony which took place at Westminster Abbey. This was also a major difference to Harry and Meghan's Windsor wedding, where she presented him with his own ring during the service.

At the time, this was put down to "personal preference" by a source who spoke to The Mirror. "He’s not one for jewelry,” the source said. "He's never worn any. He decided he didn’t want to wear one now. It's all down to personal preference."

Harry's preference was obviously to opt for a wedding ring, and his is made from platinum and features a textured finish - per the Royal Family's website.

Prince Philip also never wore a wedding ring, and in fact, it is a relatively modern custom for men to do so. According to the BBC, "World War II is considered to have heralded a seismic shift, as many Western men fighting overseas chose to wear wedding rings as a comforting reminder of their wives and families back home."

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However, experts speaking to the BBC explained that before the middle of the 20th century, barely any men donned wedding rings and that this was for a variety of reasons, including that perceptions of marriage have changed as women have gained more rights.

This may have created a shift from the idea that a "wedding ring was worn only by the bride was because it has served at times to represent ownership by her husband" to the sense that "men and women both wearing wedding rings is a sign of more equality - it's supposed to be something that ties them both in the same way".

Both Meghan and Kate wear wedding rings made from Welsh gold, a tradition that goes back to the Queen Mother, who, when she was Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyons, was presented with a ring made from the rare Clogau gold in 1923 when she married the future George VI.

The same Clogau gold was used for Queen Elizabeth's wedding ring, as well as her sister Princess Margaret's ring and Princess Diana's wedding ring.

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Emma Mackenzie