King Charles’ Secret Wedding Gift to Princess Diana: The Ring She Refused to Wear

In the lead-up to one of the most iconic weddings in history, Princess Diana’s marriage to Prince Charles was a momentous occasion that captured the attention of the entire world. The wedding, which took place on 29 July 1981 at St. Paul’s Cathedral, was marked by stunning elegance and royal tradition.

From her 25-foot train to the Spencer Tiara, Diana’s wedding attire became legendary. However, hidden within the splendor of her wedding day was a small but meaningful detail that was missing from her ensemble: a secret wedding gift from Prince Charles—one that she chose not to wear.

In the days before their wedding, Charles reportedly gave Diana a special gift that was both personal and symbolic. The night before the ceremony, the Prince of Wales sent Diana a beautiful signet ring, which was engraved with his official crest—the Prince of Wales feathers—along with a heartfelt message of encouragement.

According to Andrew Morton's book, Diana: In Her Own Words, Diana recalled the touching gesture, saying: "He sent me a very nice signet ring the night before to Clarence House, with the Prince of Wales feathers on and a very nice card that said: 'I'm so proud of you and when you come up I'll be there at the altar for you tomorrow. Just look 'em in the eye and knock 'em dead.'"

While the gift was undoubtedly meaningful, Diana chose not to wear it on her wedding day. Instead, she walked down the aisle wearing a heavily embellished wedding gown designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel, paired with a family heirloom—the Spencer Tiara.

Diana also wore customized silk satin pumps with the letters C and D, and the sapphire and diamond engagement ring from Garrard, which had become her most iconic piece of jewelry. Alongside these personal touches, Diana adhered to royal tradition by wearing a Welsh gold wedding ring from Clogau, but the signet ring from Charles was absent from her outfit.

Though Diana left the ring in its jewelry box on her wedding day, it was not entirely hidden from view. She was later seen wearing the signet ring at various private moments.

In 1983, a photoshoot at Kensington Palace featured Diana wearing the ring, and in 1988, she sported it at a polo match. Despite the ring’s lack of presence on her wedding day, it appeared in other settings throughout her life, making it clear that it held sentimental value for her.

Signet rings, like the one gifted by Charles, have long been a symbol of heritage and status. The engraved crests, typically featuring a family’s emblem or coat of arms, were once used as signatures to authenticate documents and letters.

They serve as both a mark of authority and a connection to one’s ancestry. For Charles, the signet ring was a meaningful heirloom, one that was reportedly given to him by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, when he assumed the title of Prince of Wales.

The ring bears the familiar Prince of Wales feathers and the Latin phrase "Ich Dien," which translates to "I serve."

The tradition of wearing a signet ring continues within the royal family. Prince Charles has been rarely seen without his ring, a symbol of his royal identity. His second wife, Queen Camilla, who he married in 2005, also wears a similar signet ring.

Other members of the royal family, including Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie, are also known to wear the signet ring as a mark of their connection to their royal lineage. Even the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has been seen sporting a signet ring, further cementing the piece as a symbol of both style and status within royal circles.

For Diana, however, her decision to leave the ring out of her wedding day attire speaks volumes about her complex relationship with her royal life. The wedding day was a carefully curated moment, one where every detail—from her dress to her tiara—was steeped in symbolism.

Perhaps for Diana, the signet ring represented something too personal or too symbolic to wear in the highly publicized event. It’s also possible that she felt the gift, though deeply thoughtful, didn’t fit with her desire to retain a sense of individuality on such a monumental day.

The ring’s absence may have been a subtle, private statement in itself, reflecting the complexities of Diana’s relationship with the royal family. Her wedding to Prince Charles, after all, was fraught with tension and expectations.

Despite their shared public image as the fairytale couple, behind closed doors, their marriage was struggling with challenges, which Diana would later open up about in her own words. It’s telling that the signet ring, a gift from Charles, would be something Diana chose to wear only in private moments, away from the public eye.

Though the ring may not have made its appearance at the altar, it remained a part of Diana’s life—symbolic of both her connection to Charles and the complexities of their union. As with much of Diana’s life, her choices, particularly her subtle decisions about what to wear and when, spoke volumes about her innermost thoughts and emotions.

The signet ring, a seemingly small detail, encapsulated the balance she sought to strike between her royal duties and her own personal identity, making it a poignant reminder of the challenges and contradictions she faced as the Princess of Wales.