The One Thing Prince William Worried About Before Proposing To Kate Middleton
Before most people pop the big question, there's a lot of planning to do — and even more nerves involved. When you're in line to the throne and about to propose to the love of your life with your late mom's world-famous engagement ring, though? We have to imagine that's a whole other level of nervous. And it sounds like William, Prince of Wales felt that firsthand before he proposed to his now-wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales.
Prince William has opened up about that special time in their life, which happened back in 2010, admitting that there was one thing in particular he was worried about before getting down on one knee: losing the ring! He said during the couple's joint "ITV News" interview shortly after getting engaged: "I'd been carrying it around me in my rucksack for about three weeks before that and I literally would not let it go. Everywhere I went I was keeping a hold of it because I knew, this thing, if it disappeared, I'd be in a lot of trouble." We can't say we blame the future king, either. He did a lot of traveling with the stunning engagement ring, as he proposed to Kate Middleton in Kenya.
Not to mention, it goes without saying the ring is worth serious money. According to Heart, the jewelry cost around $35,100 when the now King Charles gave it to Princess Diana in 1981. Today, though? It could be worth as much as $501,000.
Kate Middleton's engagement ring holds a lot of sentimental value
Though Kate Middleton's engagement ring is worth a lot of cash in terms of its materials, the iconic piece of jewelry — which some superstitious royal fans think may have a curse — is arguably priceless. It's a hugely significant royal family artifact and, of course, is irreplaceable to the late Princess Diana's family. Speaking during their "ITV News" interview, William explained he gave Kate his mom's ring for that poignant reason. "Obviously, she's not going to be around to share in all the fun and excitement, so this is my way of keeping her close to it all," he shared.
The ring's royal connection goes even further back than William's parents, though. It was inspired by a brooch made for Queen Victoria in 1840. The brooch was a custom piece given to Victoria by her then-husband-to-be, Prince Albert, and she wore it on their wedding day.
Kate is well aware of the importance of the ring she wears on that special finger. In 2023, she was asked about the ring by a fan during a royal outing in Wales and told them (via the Mirror): "I'm honored to wear it, I never sadly got to meet [Diana]. And also now with the children and grandchildren, I think she would have loved being a grandmother so much. She'd be absolutely brilliant, we miss her every day."
Prince William took the engagement ring to Kenya because of family memories
It wasn't just Kate Middleton's engagement ring, which was a perfect fit for her even though she almost didn't get it, that was full of sentimental value, though. William, Prince of Wales took the risk and carried the incredibly valuable piece of jewelry around Kenya because he knew he wanted to pop the question there. "I was planning it and then it just felt really right out in Africa. It was beautiful," William shared in his and Catherine, Princess of Wales' "ITV News" post-engagement interview.
More recently, William has shed more light on why he knew Kenya was where he wanted to ask Kate to be his bride. In 2020, during a reception at Buckingham Palace, William shared that the location is significant to his family. "The African continent holds a very special place in my heart. It is the place my father took my brother and me shortly after our mother died," he explained (via X, formerly known as Twitter). "When deciding where best to propose to Catherine, I could think of no more fitting place than Kenya to get down on one knee."