Kate Middleton and Prince William have been happily married for a long time. The future king proposed to his then-girlfriend on a trip to Kenya, and the ring was indeed something else.

The Princess of Wales has been both praised and actually even criticized for her taste in jewelry. The royal jewelry collection is vast, but Kate Middleton has proven herself to not only wear those million-dollar pieces but also jewelry that doesn’t have to cost too much.

Nonetheless, her engagement ring is something she never takes off… Or is that true? Just days ago, royal fans spotted Kate without her engagement ring. Why? There could be several reasons for this.

Jewelry and the royal family go hand in hand. The royal vault includes hundreds of timeless pieces. Over the years, experts have concluded that putting a prize on the crown jewels is practically impossible.

Kate Middleton – royal jewelry collection

The royal family members don’t all wear the same jewelry, but some pieces are personal, as many have been handed down from generation to generation and have great sentimental value.

Like the rest of the royal family, Kate Middleton has a huge jewelry collection, but she hasn’t always been praised for the jewelry she wears.

Over the years, Kate MIddleton has worn much of Queen Elizabeth II’s jewelry. Her collection includes fine jewelry and gorgeous pieces, which will most likely be handed down to her and William’s daughter, Princess Charlotte.

Some years ago, leading diamond expert Maxwell Stone commented on Kate’s jewelry collection – and he didn’t spare any words.

“Kate Middleton’s immaculate style is always complete with a set of pristine accessories. From her 12ct sapphire engagement ring and the £1 million tiara that originally belonged to Princess Diana, to the pearl drop earrings that she wore to the funerals of both Prince Phillip and Queen Elizabeth II, a large number of her pieces have sentimentality attached to them – making it highly likely that Princess Charlotte will inherit them in the future,” he said.

Kate Middleton didn’t touch any royal jewelry until she and Prince William got engaged.

Kate Middleton’s engagement ring

The future king proposed to his beloved girlfriend during a holiday in Kenya, and he was said to have carried the ring in a bag for three weeks. Kate Middleton had considered the idea that William might propose, but it came as a “total shock” even so.

“It was very romantic,” Kate said. “There’s a true romantic in there.”

William added, “As every guy out there will know, it takes a certain amount of motivation to get yourself going. So I was planning it and then it just felt really right out in Africa. It was beautiful.”

In January 2020, Prince William elaborated on the proposal.

“The African continent holds a very special place in my heart,” he said. “It is the place my father took my brother and me shortly after our mother died. And when deciding where best to propose to Catherine, I could think of no more fitting place than Kenya to get down on one knee.”

While the engagement ring, of course, was incredible, it was actually not the first ring Kate Middleton received from William. Prince William gave her another ring in the early 2000s when they were still dating and studying at the University of St. Andrews.

Per the site Dress Like a Duchess, the future king handed Kate a pearl and garnet rose gold promise ring. The pearl symbolized William’s June birthday, and the garnet symbolized Kate’s birthday in January.

“This particular piece is priceless”

According to the site, Kate wore the ring on her Graduation day in June 2005. She “wore the ring on her middle finger during her youth,” according to Dress Like a Duchess.

Today, Kate Middleton has rarely been seen wearing it; however, she sometimes brings it out of her jewelry box.

The ring signified “commitment and fidelity as well as a pledge for lifelong love and loyalty,” as per Dress Like a Duchess.

Leading diamond expert Maxwell Stone commented on the unique ring Prince William gave Kate during their student days, saying it “reveals” a lot about the Prince and Princess of Wales’s relationship and personalities.

“Gifted to Kate by William during their time at University, it’s no doubt very sentimental and while Kate has a very high value jewellery collection, this particular piece is priceless,” Stone explained.

“Design wise, it looks to be from the Victorian era, from the late 1800’s and is most likely set on a 15ct gold band, which is what they used at the time.”

The diamond expert added, “Though it’s probably worth no more than £2,000, it’s one of our favourite pieces from Kate’s collection thanks to the beautiful symbolism that it holds. Representing the start of a new chapter in the royal couple’s lives, the sentimental ring is likely to be passed down to the royal couple’s daughter, Princess Charlotte.”