Kate Middleton Pulls A Usha Vance & Goes Ringless Amid William Divorce Rumors
Amid marriage trouble rumors, Kate Middleton was filmed without her wedding ring while making an appearance with Prince William. The royal couple visited London's Charing Cross Hospital on January 8. Kate looked effortlessly chic in a burgundy pantsuit and matching blouse. She had the sleeves of the jacket rolled up, and it was noticeable that the Princess of Wales went minimal with her accessories — she didn't even have on her 12-carat sapphire engagement ring. Kate did, however, wear her gold Welsh wedding band. The timing of going sans-ring was peculiar, as chatter about her and William experiencing marital woes has been circulating.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have surprised staff, patients and volunteers at London's Charring Cross Hospital to show their support for the NHS as it faces ongoing winter pressures.
The Prince said "the power of philanthropy in the NHS has probably been undervalued." pic.twitter.com/cP1HKdXmHI
— Cameron Walker (@CameronDLWalker) January 8, 2026
Deciding to keep the sapphire at home was reminiscent of when Usha Vance wore no wedding ring as divorce rumors swirled. The second lady visited a Marine Corps base with Melania Trump in November, and photos showed that she was ringless. That caused so much discussion about the state of her marriage to JD Vance that Usha later released a statement to People via a spokesperson explaining that she "forgets her ring sometimes" amid the chaos of her motherly duties.
Kate, however, did not release a statement explaining why she went to the hospital without her engagement ring, but a theory was offered by multiple outlets that she simply did it for sanitary reasons while at a healthcare facility. On its face, that seemed to be a valid explanation, but as noted by Town & Country, Kate did wear her engagement ring when visiting the Colchester Hospital in July 2025. The matter was further complicated by other signs that have pointed to trouble in paradise between Kate and William.
Some believe Kate Middleton and Prince William are living separately
The timing of going ringless raised eyebrows, as another round of divorce chatter had swirled around Kate Middleton and Prince William only days earlier. A video was posted to X on January 6 that showed Prince George and Princess Charlotte arriving at Kensington Palace in a helicopter. In the clip, William is seen greeting the children and carrying their bags, while Kate is not in sight. Some took this as evidence that the royal couple was on the outs. "It's been obvious for a while that Willy & Kate are separated & the kids shuttle between their parents' homes," a user wrote alongside the video.
A couple of months earlier, a candid photo of Kate and William had everyone talking divorce. Photographers captured the Princess of Wales sitting in a car with her husband before they attended the Royal Variety Performance at Royal Albert Hall in November 2025. There was a look of annoyance on Kate's face as she stared forward, while a grim-faced William's eyes were directed downward as he turned toward her. Similar to the footage of William meeting the kids at the helicopter, many people on X took this as a clear-cut sign that the two were headed for divorce. "This is not love these people leave separate lives and Williams school her to make sure she put a smile on her face before stepping out," one person wrote.