ICYMI, March 30 is Mother’s Day in the UK this year. Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, shared a new video on her and Prince William’s official Instagram for the occasion.
Kate Middleton Releases New Video for UK Mother’s Day After Last Year’s Photo Controversy (and I Spy a Ring Change)
Infinity band it is
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Published Mar 30, 2025
•3:48pm
Max Mumby/Indigo/Contributor
“Over the past year, nature has been our sanctuary,” she captioned the video. “This Mother’s Day, let us celebrate Mother Nature and recognise how our bond with the natural world can help not only nurture our inner selves, but remind us too of the role we play within the rich tapestry of life.” She signed the message with her initial, “C.”
The video is mostly of trees, flowers and landscapes. Middleton doesn’t show her face, but rather her hands—and I noticed that she once again wasn’t wearing her iconic sapphire engagement ring, previously owned by the late Princess Diana.
This isn’t the first time that the noteworthy piece has gone MIA. For instance, it was swapped with a new infinity band back in September 2024 when Princess Catherine released a video to announce the completion of her chemotherapy treatments, and again in October 2024 when she made a surprise visit to Southport with her husband. In January, it made a reappearance in a birthday photo that she shared on social media.
There is likely a good reason for her occasionally switching out the ring. According to royal writer and historian Lauren Kiehna, “We most recently saw her wear it at Wimbledon in July,” she wrote last summer for The Court Jeweller, “but on that occasion, photographs showed the heavy ring turning on her finger, suggesting that it might be too big to comfortably wear at the moment."
Jewelry expert Phil Grosso from Amore Fine Jewelry also suggested that there may be a deeper meaning behind the ring swap. "Eternity rings have long been a symbol of unending love, commitment, and connection,” he said. “Given Kate’s affinity for personal pieces, this ring may represent resilience and strength, especially after her health journey," referring to her recent cancer battle. (She’s currently in remission.)
The new Mother’s Day post may also dredge up memories of last year’s holiday, when she shared a never-before-seen photo of her and her kids, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6. The photo was captioned, “Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months. Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day.”
It didn’t take long for the internet to do what it does best, and people started pointing out inconsistencies and strange blurs in the photo. After relentless accusations from the public—and the Associate Press eventually issuing a “photo kill” notification due to “the image [appearing] to have been manipulated”—the Princess came out with a personal statement on her Instagram story to clear up any misconceptions.
In the now-expired post, Princess Catherine apologized for “any confusion” about the family photo. “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day,” she wrote.
I hope she does this year, too.
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