Prince Harry’s wife Meghan Markle was recently spotted without her engagement ring at a solo event in California. On International Day of the Girl, the Duchess of Sussex painted and made crafts with young women at Girls Ink in Greater Santa Barbara. Meghan was elegantly dressed, but people noticed that she was missing her engagement ring.
Designed by Prince Harry in 2017, this iconic ring has deep personal meaning. It features two diamonds from Princess Diana’s collection and one from Botswana, symbolizing Prince Harry’s connection to his late mother and the country the couple visited early in their relationship. The engagement ring, set on a simple gold band, has been a signature of Meghan’s style since Prince Harry proposed at Kensington Palace.
Although there was no engagement ring, Markle was wearing a wedding ring.
If this hadn’t been photographed last week, one would wonder if Meghan is copying Duchess Kate again by not wearing her engagement ring here, just her wedding band and eternity band. But she dropped it all last year, so who knows. Will salt and pepper cause more problems? pic.twitter.com/xCcghtMQvi
— Royal News Network (@RNN_RoyalNews) October 11, 2024
This wasn’t the first time the Duchess didn’t have one. Meghan was spotted without her engagement ring during the 2023 Invictus Games in Düsseldorf. At the time, a source told Page Six that the ring was “under restoration.” It recurred in her finger earlier this year.
In recent months, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have embarked on several high-profile solo endeavors. Prince Harry has traveled from New York to London to southern Africa to promote his charity work.
Meanwhile, Meghan Markle has been focusing on her own projects, including attending a glitzy charity gala for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, where she was even spotted wearing an engagement ring. She is reportedly focusing more energy on her entrepreneurial ventures, including a growing lifestyle brand.
With these separate public appearances, there are whispers that the distance between the two is growing even wider.
Sources say this could be part of an evolving approach to how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex approach their professional and personal lives. A source close to the couple told People magazine: The Duke and Duchess are now making strides, not just as a couple, but as individuals. Another source added, “Prince Harry seems to be concentrating on his sponsorship activities, while Duchess Meghan seems to be concentrating on her entrepreneurial endeavors.”
Some royal commentators and fans have speculated that Meghan’s decision to forego her engagement ring may be indicative of deeper marital issues, but may not be a pragmatic choice. Some see it as a stylistic choice.
