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Meghan Markle has been photographed without her wedding and engagement rings as she embarked on a solo visit to London’s National Theatre without Prince Harry.
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The Duchess of Sussex stepped out on Wednesday, ahead of the couple’s announcement that they would be renouncing their duties as senior members of the royal family, and that they will attempt to work towards financial self-sufficiency.
In photos published by Daily Mail, Meghan can be seen leaving The National’s smaller Dorfman Theatre after her low-key visit.
On closer inspection of the pics, it’s clear that she’s ditched her wedding and engagement rings for some reason.
While Meghan was seen wearing her wedding and engagement ring as the couple visited Canada House on Tuesday, by Wednesday she wasn’t wearing the jewellery.
Earlier this year, Meghan was photographed wearing an updated version of the engagement ring that she was given by Harry when he proposed in November 2018.
During her first post-baby appearance at the Trooping the Colour ceremony in June, eagle-eyed fans noticed at the time that the iconic ring’s gold band had been replaced by a delicate diamond-studded band.
The original ring had a band made of solid gold, and the ring featured two of the late Princess Diana’s diamonds.
While her ring-free appearance on Wednesday evening is thought to be down to post pregnancy weight loss, and could indicate that she is having her rings resized, it’s strange that she was still wearing the rings the day before.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s unexpected decision to quit as senior royals took the world – and the Queen – by surprise, and was announced on their Instagram late on Wednesday.
In a statement they said: “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution.”
They continued: “We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment.
“We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages. This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity.
“We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.”
