The Princess of Wales showcased a new ring stack as she attended the Duchess of Kent’s funeral on Tuesday, September 16. Along with other senior members of the royal family, Kate Middleton arrived at Westminster Cathedral to celebrate the life of the Duchess of Kent, who died earlier this month at 92.
Kate teamed her famous, sapphire-and-diamond engagement ring with four other thin bands, wearing all five on one finger for the first time to create an on-trend stack. One eternity ring, a newer addition to the Princess’s jewelry box since last year, is adorned with diamonds and sapphires, and is thought to be the Étincelle de Cartier wedding band. Many have speculated that the ring may have been a present from Prince William to mark the end of Kate’s course of preventative chemotherapy—and of course, it co-ordinates perfectly with her engagement ring.
The Princess of Wales arrived at Westminster Cathedral with her husband, Prince William
Mark Cuthbert/Getty Images
A second ring, set with smaller diamonds for a pavé effect, is another new addition to Kate’s jewelry collection, and goes well with her other pieces, given its subtle sparkle. The third eternity ring is an older piece: a sparkling, diamond-encrusted style, it hails from Annoushka—one of Kate’s favorite jewelers—and is thought to have been a present from William following the birth of Prince George in 2013. The fourth and final band adorning the Princess’ finger was, of course, her wedding ring, crafted from the same nugget of Welsh gold used for Queen Elizabeth’s own wedding band.
The Princess’ choice of rings has become a matter of much discussion over the past year, with royal watchers tracking when Kate chooses to wear her famous sapphire engagement ring and when she opts instead for a set of eternity rings instead. On this most important occasion, however, she chose to team her plain black Catherine Walker coat dress with her most stunning jewelry—including all five of her favorite rings. The Princess also accessorized with the Japanese Pearl choker necklace and a pair of diamond-and-pearl earrings, both inherited from the late Queen Elizabeth.
