The Real Reasons Kate Middleton Doesn’t Always Wear Her Engagement Ring

Kate Middleton’s engagement ring is among the most iconic and widely recognized in the world, thanks in large part to its original owner, Princess Diana.

The late royal personally handpicked it from a catalog, too, deviating from the longstanding royal tradition of commissioning bespoke jewelry.

The current Princess of Wales, of course, is more than happy to sport a ring that holds such a deep connection to her late mother-in-law, but as fans know, she doesn’t wear it 24/7.

The famous engagement ring has quite the history, with jewel experts noting that Diana probably selected it because it resonated with her personally. “It has long been suggested that Diana selected the ring because it reminded her of her mother’s engagement ring. An alternate theory suggests that she loved the deep blue hue of the sapphire because it matched the color of her eyes,” jeweler Greg Kwiat told The Knot. Meanwhile, Willliam, the Prince of Wales, gave it to Kate to keep Diana’s spirit alive. “It’s my mother’s engagement ring … Obviously she’s not going to be around to share in the fun and excitement of it all. This is my way of keeping her sort of close to it all,” he told ITV News.

But why does Kate occasionally ditch the ring, you ask? It turns out she’s not immune to the fear of losing it when she’s out and about. She also chooses to forego it when it may become a health hazard as she’s working.