- One of the many royal traditions Prince Harry has broken over the years has to do with his wedding ring.
- While royal wedding rings are traditionally made of Welsh gold, Harry opted for a modern, platinum ring with a brushed texture finished instead.
- Traditionally, royal wedding bands are made from metal gifted by the Queen from her collection of Welsh gold from the Clogau St. David Gold Mine in Dolgellau, Wales. The tradition dates back to 1923, when Queen Elizabeth's parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, wed.
Prince Harry is a lot of things, but "royal conformist" is not one of them. Among the many ways Harry has blazed his own royal trail is with his wedding ring.
According to Hello! magazine, Harry broke royal tradition after his 2018 royal wedding to Meghan Markle by opting for a modern, platinum wedding band instead of going with the Welsh gold style that men in the British royal family tend to choose—if they decide to wear a wedding ring at all, that is.
Harry's older brother, Prince William, and his grandfather, Prince Philip, famously refuse to wear wedding rings at all. Harry isn't alone in the "Royal Men Who Wear Wedding Bands" club, however. His dad, Prince Charles, also wears his wedding ring every day. Charles' ring, however, is classic gold—just like every other royal wedding ring, apparently (including Meghan's and Will's wife, Kate Middleton's).
There's a good reason for the royal marriage tradition for Welsh gold wedding bands though: The Queen typically gifts the newlyweds with metal from her personal collection of Welsh gold from the Clogau St. David Gold Mine in Dolgellau, Wales. As Hello! notes, this gift has become even more special in recent years since the mine is no longer in operation.
The tradition of making royal wedding rings from the Clogau St. David Gold Mine gold can be traced back to the Queen's parents, George VI and the Queen Mother, when they wed in April 1923.
Prince Harry, fiddling with his wedding band during a royal engagement in September 2018.
Harry notably showed off his tradition-breaking band during a visit to the Royal Marines Commando Training Centre in September 2018, when photographers snapped some close-up shots of the ring. You can see in those photos that the slender band features a subtle, brushed texture finish.
Meghan Markle's Most Iconic Fashion Moments
For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
RELATED STORIES
-
Queen Elizabeth "Was Only Afraid of One Thing"—and it Caused Debates Within Her Family"She could put up with everything else," royal biographer Robert Hardman said.
-
I Frolicked In the Tulip Fields of Holland In Search of Firmer SkinGoing straight to the source at the infamous Bloomeffects flower farm.
-
Kate Middleton Subtly Honors Holocaust Victims with Her Jewelry at VE Day ConcertThe Princess of Wales nailed symbolic dressing, as usual.
-
Prince Harry Spends Prince Archie's Birthday Honoring Princess Diana's Legacy After Bombshell BBC Interview"This generation isn’t waiting for permission to lead — they are already doing it."
-
Why King Charles Is Reportedly "Frustrated and Upset" by Prince Harry’s Security AppealCharles is also reportedly upset with Harry "on a more personal level."
-
Prince Harry's Years-Long Battle to Reinstate His Security Has Ended After Judge Dismisses CaseThe Duke of Sussex faced a major blow in his bid to protect himself and his family in the U.K.
-
Princess Diana "Insisted" Prince Harry and Prince William Buck One Tradition That Prince George Is FacingThe late princess took control when it came to this aspect of her sons' lives.
-
Meghan Markle Used Her Outfits to Send Messages When She Couldn’t, She SaysThe Duchess of Sussex reflected on the impact of her clothing at a time when she "wasn't out talking."
-
Meghan Markle Says This Feature Prevented Her From Modeling as It Wasn't "A Sign of Beauty"The Duchess of Sussex opened up about the early days of her career in her new podcast.
-
Meghan Markle Shares Oprah's Advice About Starting a BusinessThe iconic talk show host helped the duchess find herself in jam.
-
Why Meghan Markle Sends "Secret Emails" to Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet "Every Night"Meghan and Harry's kids will be able to access the emails "maybe when they're 16 or...18."
