All About the Meaningful 4 Ring Stack Kate Middleton Wears in Place of Her Heirloom Engagement Ring

Her dazzling stack features something new, something blue, and something borrowed from the royal’s diamond archives.

Kate Middleton on January 14, 2025.Credit: Getty Images

Kate Middleton often leaves her 12-carat sapphire engagement ring at home in favor of a more pared-back collection of rings.
Her go-to stack includes two diamond eternity bands, one of which features sapphires.
Most recently, she added a thin pavé diamond band to the mix.

Kate Middleton became the envy of many around the world when she received Princess Diana’s iconic sapphire engagement ring in 2010. The 12-carat ring, which is estimated to be worth over $500,000, is one of the most recognizable in the world. Understandably, Kate sometimes leaves it at home for more casual appearances. Over the last decade, the royal has frequently worn her Welsh gold wedding band, two eternity rings, and a slim diamond-cluster in place of the family heirloom.

However, the future queen hasn’t completely dialed back on wearing her engagement ring in public. Kate sported the oval-shaped gem at the annual Festival of Remembrance in November 2024, her first royal event since she completed her cancer treatment that year. She also layered the ring with her new stack, which complimented her black dress coat and floral brooch. After all, every dark-toned outfit comes alive with a little shine.

Kate has scarcely worn her sapphire-and-diamond bauble since then, leaving many to wonder if she’ll bring it back for more formal occasions in the future. But in the meantime, her 4-ring stack is here to stay. Here’s everything to know about the Princess’s lustrous bundle of jewels, from its cost and design to how they honor her family’s close bond.

Kate’s solid gold wedding band might be simple, but it’s steeped in royal tradition.

Kate Middleton’s hand on July 10, 2011.Getty Images

Prince William isn’t the only family member that’s contributed to Kate’s stack. Queen Elizabeth II reportedly gave William the gold band used in the wedding ceremony shortly after the couple’s engagement. The ring was designed by Wartski, a Bristol jewelry company that’s worked with the royals for centuries, according to People.

Specifically, the brand sourced the same Welsh gold nugget that other wives—including Elizabeth, Queen Camilla, Meghan Markle, and Princess Eugenie—have used in their wedding rings since the 1900s. Some royals went on to add a gorgeous stone to their band, but Kate has kept hers in its original state, often layering it at the bottom of her stack. While it’s not clear how much her ring cost at the time, its current estimated value is $3,112, as InStyle previously reported.

She received the first eternity band following Prince George’s birth.

Kate Middleton on February 26, 2026.Getty Images

Kate started her motherhood journey on a sparkling note. Following the birth of Prince George in 2013, she added a new ring to her stack: a white gold and diamond eternity band designed by Annoushka. It’s believed William gifted her the 18-carat jewel, which goes for $2,500 on the brand’s website.

Since Kate received the classic gem, she frequently wears it above her wedding band—and will even pair it with her other Annoushka items, including the label’s statement pearl earrings.

Kate’s second diamond-adorned ring marked a tough chapter in her personal life. 

Kate Middleton on October 10, 2024.Getty Images

Over a decade after Kate debuted her Annoushka band, she announced on social media she was undergoing chemotherapy for cancer in March 2024. Her health battle took a positive turn six months later, when she celebrated the end of her treatment in a heartfelt Instagram video. However, viewers couldn’t help but notice a new glimmering rock in her ring stack.

Indeed, the Princess sported another eternity ring that’s thought to be from the Étincelle de Cartier collection. Set on a silver band, the ring—which is valued at $5,500—is flanked with 19 brilliant-cut diamonds and sapphires. Similar to Kate’s first eternity ring, Tatler reported this gem was likely a present from William to mark the end of her chemotherapy.

Kate’s new addition to her ring stack is her most minimalist diamond yet. 

Kate Middleton on September 16, 2025.Getty Images

Kate continued to embrace her love for subtle shimmer with her latest ring. While attending the Duchess of Kent’s funeral in September 2025, she wore a thin band filled with small pavé diamonds at the top of her stack. It’s not known how much this modern gem costs, but it paired beautifully with the rest of her iconic set of jewels—including her now rarely-worn engagement ring.

Kate’s engagement ring will live on…but probably in certain royal settings. 

Kate Middleton on July 12, 2025.Getty Images

As the princess’ ring stack evolves, fans—and jewelry experts—have shared their own conclusions as to why she doesn’t frequently wear the sapphire ring. In October 2024, Ella Citron-Thompkins from Diamonds Factory told Express Kate may have stopped wearing the band for “comfort or practicality.”

The Royal Dress Code podcast host, Christine Ross, echoed the sentiment five months later, noting Kate might be adopting “a more relaxed approach to fashion” and her jewelry collection.

“While she may have scrutinized and analyzed every fashion decision in the past, one could assume that she is funneling less energy into minute details and more energy into how she feels day to day,” she told Town & Country last March. “Some days she feels like wearing a more relaxed stack of rings, and other days she dons the iconic and historic sapphire engagement ring.”