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By exchanging rings at their May 2018 wedding — a common gesture at non-royal ceremonies — Prince Harry and Meghan Markle broke one of the oldest traditions in British royal history. Traditionally, British royal men do not wear wedding bands, leaving that to the brides, per Hello!. This is the case with Harry’s brother, Prince William, and it was with their grandfather, Prince Philip.
While King Charles III, Harry and William’s father, dons a wedding ring, he does so on his pinky finger. Furthermore, while Harry’s is the modern, platinum wedding band, Charles’ is Welsh gold. With royal newlyweds typically gifted the gold from Queen Elizabeth II’s personal collection, its historical significance comes from its origin in Wales’ Clogau St. David Gold Mine. With the mine no longer in commission, the gold rings are now that much more unique in value.
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Harry and Meghan’s mutual exchange of rings also signified a modernity in representing the equality within their marriage. According to Vogue, the royal tradition of the bride-only wedding ring traces back to old-fashioned, upper-class English etiquette. As the 1996 version of “Debrett’s New Guide to Etiquette and Modern Manners” (via The New York Times) read, “Although some brides have adopted the Continental habit of presenting the groom with his own band during the vows, this remains not quite comme il faut [‘how one does’ in French].”
