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Kate Middleton has become the subject of speculation after visiting the Royal Marsden Hospital, where she was treated for cancer, without wearing her engagement ring.
On Tuesday (January 14), the Princess of Wales made a rare public outing at the specialist center in London to express her gratitude to the medical staff and support patients and their families.
Highlights
- Kate Middleton was pictured without her sapphire engagement ring at London's Royal Marsden Hospital.
- The princess was treated for cancer at the hospital last year.
- Kate visited patients and thanked the medical staff for their "exceptional" care.
During the visit, Kate was seen speaking with patients undergoing chemotherapy and hugging one mother whose daughter was in the intensive care unit.
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Kate Middleton wore a glittering eternity band instead of her sapphire engagement ring during her visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital
Image credits: Chris Jackson/Getty Images
“There is light at the end of that tunnel. Very nice to meet you and best of luck. You are in the best of hands,” she reassured her.
When asked how she was feeling, Kate said she was doing well but added, “Sometimes from the outside, we all think you’ve finished treatment and you go back to things. But it’s hard to get back to normal,” as per theBBC.
In a message posted on social media following the outing, she revealed that she was in remission with cancer.
However, one detail did not go unnoticed during the visit, which marked the princess’ first significant solo royal engagement since completing her treatment—the absence of her wedding ring.
Though some people speculated that she didn’t wear the ring for hygienic reasons, she was seen wearing it in 2023 when she visited Evelina London’s children’s surgery unit
Image credits: Karwai Tang/Getty Images
While one possibility is that she left her sapphire engagement ring at home for hygienic reasons, Kate was photographed with it in 2023 when she visited Evelina London’s children’s day surgery unit, where she met with patients and staff, as pernews.com.au.
That same year, she wore her ring when she andPrince William visited the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
In 2022, the mom of three visited the maternity unit at Royal Surrey County Hospital and was pictured with her ring on while meeting mothers and cradling a newborn, according to the outlet.
Image credits: Max Mumby/Getty Images
Last year, Kate opted to wear her engagement ring to some events but not to others. For instance, she wore it in June for theTrooping the Colour celebrations, also known as the King’s Birthday Parade, and in July while attending a Wimbledon match with Princess Charlotte.
Still, the ring was nowhere to be seen when she appeared in a video to celebrate the Olympics in August or in September during the highly personal video with her family where she announced the end of her chemotherapy treatment.
In 2022, she wore it to the Royal Surrey County Hospital while meeting mothers and cradling a newborn
Image credits: Alastair Grant – WPA Pool/Getty Images
Image credits: John Phillips/Getty Images
Other instances when the ring was absent included her widely discussedMother’s Day family portrait in March—which the princess revealed had been edited—and in October, when Kate and William met the parents of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, the three children tragically murdered during a Taylor Swift dance class.
Netizens were also intrigued by William’s absence at the outing, given that he and Kate are joint patrons of the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, as was announced after her visit.
Kate also mentionedWilliam in her social media post following the outing, thanking “those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything.”
However, she didn’t wear it during the video in which she announced the end of her chemotherapy, posted in September 2024, or in her Mother’s Day photo
Image credits: princeandprincessofwales
Image credits: princeandprincessofwales
In the post, the princess said she was looking forward to a “fulfilling year ahead” and expressed gratitude to the hospital staff for their “exceptional” care.
“In my new role as Joint Patron of The Royal Marsden, my hope is that by supporting groundbreaking research and clinical excellence, as well as promoting patient and family wellbeing, we might save many more lives and transform the experience of all those impacted by cancer,” she wrote.
“It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery. As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to.”
Image credits: Danny Lawson – WPA Pool/Getty Images
In 2021, the princess wore it during a visit to the Royal London Hospital Whitechapel
Image credits: Arthur Edwards – WPA Pool/Getty Images
According toCancer Research UK, “remission” means that there is no sign of cancer in a person’s body. If there are any cancer cells left, there are too few to find or to cause anysymptoms, or they are in an inactive state and are not growing.
In March 2024, Kate announced she had been diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer. The announcement followed a planned abdominal surgery, which she had undergone two months earlier.
Last September, the princess revealed she had completed chemotherapy, saying her focus was on “doing what I can to stay cancer-free.”
People suggested their theories as to why the princess has been pictured with and without her engagement ring
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What do you think ?
Auntriarch 10 months ago
I only wear my engagement ring on special occasions these days, especially as my weight goes up and down. In real life, it honestly isn't a big deal. In fact at present I'm such a chubster that I'm not even wearing my wedding ring, but I assure you that I'm still married and planning to remain so.
Binky Melnik 10 months ago
I would think that anyone who comments on, gossips about, or speculates on the whereabouts of your ring aren’t the kinda people you want around you anyway. I’m having second-hand embarrassment for the people unaware they’re social lummoxes!
Load More Replies...
Tyke 10 months ago
She's gone through cancer treatment, she's lost a lot of weight... could be as simple as it doesn't fit. The media needs to stop making mountains out of molehills
Binky Melnik 10 months ago (edited)
So does everyone. My weight goes up and down on a weekly basis. Is it SPOSTA be set in stone? If so, my doctors are c**p at their jobs as are many friends (they’re physicians, too) as NO ONE’S TOLD ME. I feel just awful for this poor girl that she can’t even fart without the world making wild accusations and theories. How can ANY of it possibly be worth it?! (Or is /are there perqs I’m unaware of that make all this rigamarole totally worth it?) (Don’t say “Taryn Manning cleaning your balloon knot” as UGH but also, I just put on fresh clothes, please. Thanks for understanding.)
Load More Replies...
Helsten Morgan 10 months ago
In the photo of Kate in the yellow dress holding the baby she has her wedding ring on first. In the photo of her in the red dress she has the wedding ring on second suggesting the engagement ring has become too big. I lost weight due to illness and my wedding and engagement ring just slipped off in the bath. Perhaps people are putting too much importance on this. As Princess of Wales she has access to beautiful jewels. Perhaps she just wants to ring the changes. And good luck to her!
Auntriarch 10 months ago
I only wear my engagement ring on special occasions these days, especially as my weight goes up and down. In real life, it honestly isn't a big deal. In fact at present I'm such a chubster that I'm not even wearing my wedding ring, but I assure you that I'm still married and planning to remain so.
Binky Melnik 10 months ago
I would think that anyone who comments on, gossips about, or speculates on the whereabouts of your ring aren’t the kinda people you want around you anyway. I’m having second-hand embarrassment for the people unaware they’re social lummoxes!
Load More Replies... Tyke 10 months ago
She's gone through cancer treatment, she's lost a lot of weight... could be as simple as it doesn't fit. The media needs to stop making mountains out of molehills
Binky Melnik 10 months ago (edited)
So does everyone. My weight goes up and down on a weekly basis. Is it SPOSTA be set in stone? If so, my doctors are c**p at their jobs as are many friends (they’re physicians, too) as NO ONE’S TOLD ME. I feel just awful for this poor girl that she can’t even fart without the world making wild accusations and theories. How can ANY of it possibly be worth it?! (Or is /are there perqs I’m unaware of that make all this rigamarole totally worth it?) (Don’t say “Taryn Manning cleaning your balloon knot” as UGH but also, I just put on fresh clothes, please. Thanks for understanding.)
Load More Replies... Helsten Morgan 10 months ago
In the photo of Kate in the yellow dress holding the baby she has her wedding ring on first. In the photo of her in the red dress she has the wedding ring on second suggesting the engagement ring has become too big. I lost weight due to illness and my wedding and engagement ring just slipped off in the bath. Perhaps people are putting too much importance on this. As Princess of Wales she has access to beautiful jewels. Perhaps she just wants to ring the changes. And good luck to her!
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