Prince William and Kate Middleton met at university and were together for nine years before the Duke of Cambridge proposed. Although they split briefly in 2007, William knew he wanted to marry Kate – and a ring he gifted her during their days at St Andrews shows that they were committed to one another and their lives as royals.
William is second in line to the throne meaning that Kate will one day become Queen consort, and a ring that the Duke gave to her suggests that she is already preparing to take on the role.
While they were still studying, William gave Kate a rose gold ring with a hidden meaning according to Eddie LeVian, CEO of jewellers LeVian.
He told The Express: ‘This beautiful, delicate ring is understated in style, but the very personal message hidden within it from a future King makes it an enormously romantic royal jewel.’
Kate wore it to her graduation in 2005, showing her commitment to William and her new life as a royal. The jeweller reveals that it was ‘a milestone marking her own achievements’ and ‘also a day which put her on the threshold of a new chapter in her life together with William beyond university.’
The ring also features both of their birthstones and symbolises love, purity and protection.
He continued: ‘The ring is adorned with both Kate and William’s birthstones, in a celebration of their bond and the beginning of their intertwined destiny.
‘Pearls are a June birthstone – William was born in June – and they symbolise love, purity, humility and innocence.
‘Garnets are the birthstone for January, when Kate was born, and were named by the ancient Greeks for their colour resembling pomegranate seeds. Garnets signify protection and are thought to promote confidence and mental clarity.
‘Even though Kate graduated in 2005, and the couple married much later in 2011, this ring goes to prove that William was smitten with Kate even in those early days.’
How sweet!
This article originally appeared on marie claire UK.
