All About Kate Middleton’s Eternity Band, Which Has a Surprising Connection to Carolyn Bessette Kennedy.
The Princess of Wales debuted the symbolic band back in 2024.
Kate Middleton is the queen of the ring stack. Rather than stopping at the classic pairing of engagement and wedding band, the Princess of Wales ups the ante (and the sparkle) with a rotation of rings. At her most maximalist, she’ll rock five rings on one finger—as she did while attending the Duchess of Kent’s funeral in September 2025.
The star of her multi-ring assortment is usually her engagement ring, a stunning 12-carat sapphire bauble that previously belonged to Princess Diana. But Middleton also goes sans sparkler when it suits the occasion better—saving her engagement ring primarily for formal events. Her pared-down stack includes her Welsh gold wedding ring, a diamond Annoushka band believed to be a push present from Prince William, a slim pavé diamond band, and a striking eternity band featuring alternating sapphires and diamonds. It’s this last piece that’s stood out to royal watchers due to its unique design and symbolism.
Here’s everything to know about Kate Middleton’s sapphire and diamond eternity band, from its cost and design to when she’s worn it. Plus, learn about its connection to Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s equally impressive jewelry collections.
Middleton’s eternity band is likely the Cartier Étincelle de Cartier wedding band.
Soon after Middleton debuted her newest eternity band in September 2024, jewelry experts were quick to identify the piece. While not confirmed, the princess’s ring is believed to be the Cartier Étincelle de Cartier wedding band. It’s a platinum band set with 19 brilliant-cut ‘paved’ diamonds and 19 brilliant-cut sapphires—offering no shortage of bling for any ring stack. The colorful bijou retails for $5,500 on the Cartier website. Another version of the Étincelle de Cartier wedding band with twice the carats worth of stones goes for $9,500.
The ring could be a symbolic nod to Princess Diana.
Princess Kate has inherited numerous pieces of jewelry from Princess Diana’s expansive private collection. Her engagement ring, however, remains the undisputed star. Connecting two generations of royals, the glittering sapphire bauble is as elegant today as it was when Lady Diana Spencer debuted it while announcing her own engagement to Prince Charles in 1981.
Unfortunately, its size and heirloom status make it impractical to wear on a daily basis, prompting Middleton to regularly replace it with the eternity band in her ring stack. Because the band is studded with sapphires, it could be a way for her to honor Diana, even when she’s not wearing the late royal’s iconic ring. Middleton wore the ring to Wimbledon and Remembrance Sunday in 2025, among other events. She’s also had double-sapphire moments, pairing her engagement ring with the eternity band for a colorful effect.
She debuted the ring in a video announcing she’d completed. chemotherapy treatment.
The eternity band emerged at a significant moment for the Princess of Wales. She publicly debuted the delicate jewelry in a video shared to Instagram on September 9, 2024, announcing she had completed chemotherapy treatment. The short film featured footage of her and William, as well as their kids, walking and laughing on the grounds of their countryside estate in Norfolk.
Based on the timing of its first appearance, royal fans have speculated that the ring may have been a gift from William to Kate, commemorating the milestone moment in her cancer recovery journey.
Carolyn Bessette Kennedy received a similar eternity band from John F. Kennedy Jr. as her engagement ring.
If the sapphire and diamond design looks familiar, it might be because Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s very similar engagement ring has taken over social media since the premiere of FX’s Love Story. The series revisits the romance between the fashion publicist and John F. Kennedy Jr., the son of former President John F. Kennedy.
Bessette Kennedy famously received a diamond and sapphire eternity band from JFK Jr. rather than the traditional diamond solitaire. Not only did it complement her minimalist aesthetic, but it had a subtle tie to his late mother, former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: it was reportedly inspired by a ring she wore while swimming. Historians are split on which ring was Jackie’s so-called ‘swimming ring,’ but it would have been an eternity band—potentially, the Schlumberger Sixteen Stone from Tiffany & Co.
Eternity bands symbolize an enduring, unbreakable bond.
While they’ve become a trend in recent years, eternity bands have always been a popular choice for romantic ring stacks. Their unbroken circle of gemstones is thought to represent enduring commitment, everlasting love, and an unbreakable bond between two people.
Tags: Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince Louis, Prince William and Kate Middleton, Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Meghan, Lilibet
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