Here are more photos from the Prince and Princess of Wales’s Thursday outing to Charing Cross Hospital in London. They were apparently there to “thank” NHS workers, especially given that the holiday season and start of 2026 has been brutal with the flu, coronavirus and norovirus. It would have been such a big public health statement if William and Kate wore masks during their hospital visit, alas, they did not. I feel like I should probably pull out my old masks, I’m extremely scared of getting this year’s flu, which sounds particularly awful.
In recent years, there are moments where Kate seems especially zonked out and other moments where she just seems to be excessively exuberant for no apparent reason. At the hospital yesterday, she was laughing hysterically, gawping and jazz-handing like crazy. Maybe she was just naturally ecstatic. Like, yay, they let me leave the house for the first time in two weeks! The royal reporters kept emphasizing that Kate was added to this visit “at the last minute” and that it was a “surprise.” I still don’t know why they do that. Also a surprise? Kate left Big Blue at home. She did wear her wedding band though.
Kate Middleton left her engagement ring at home during a surprise outing with Prince William. On Jan. 8, the Princess of Wales made an unannounced appearance and joined her husband to visit Charing Cross Hospital in west London. The Prince and Princess of Wales, both 43, are joint patrons of NHS Charities Together and made the stop to spotlight the work of NHS staff and volunteers, who are meeting an increased demand on services during the winter months.
Princess Kate popped in a tailored maroon suit with a burgundy blouse and complementary accessories. However, she opted to wear just one ring instead of her usual stack for her first royal appearance of the new year. A close look showed that the royal wore only her Welsh gold wedding band.
The move marked a departure from her recent jewelry style, as the Princess of Wales started wearing a stack of rings in 2024 and continued layering the bling in 2025.
However, there was likely a practical reason behind why she wore just one ring for the hospital stop on Thursday. The royal may have been respecting common hospital policy to keep jewelry to a minimum to reduce the spread of germs.
LMAO, “the Princess of Wales started wearing a stack of rings in 2024…” Yes, thanks for the timeline! Kate saw Meghan’s ring stack and said ME TOO, I CAN DO THAT TOO! As for her missing sapphire… she’s removed her engagement ring regularly in recent years. As someone who isn’t a fan of Ring Watch, I actually think Kate makes a point of removing Big Blue to start conversations and create buzz around her appearance.
What else? Kate introduced someone to her husband and she just called him “William,” without using his titles or anything. Scandalous. Kate also said “I know” when told that patients and visitors can sit in the hospital for hours.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales speaks as she meets healthcare staff with Prince William, Prince of Wales during a visit to Charing Cross Hospital, in London, Britain, January 8, 2026.,Image: 1064283512, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Isabel Infantes/Avalon
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- Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales reacts as she meets healthcare staff during a visit to Charing Cross Hospital, in London, Britain, January 8, 2026.,Image: 1064283546, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Isabel Infantes/Avalon
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- Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales make a visit to Charing Cross Hospital, in London, Britain, January 8, 2026.,Image: 1064283562, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Isabel Infantes/Avalon
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- Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales shakes hands with a member of the healthcare staff during a visit to Charing Cross Hospital, in London, Britain, January 8, 2026.,Image: 1064283569, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Isabel Infantes/Avalon
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- A staff member speaks to Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales at the neuro rehabilitation unit at Charing Cross Hospital, in London, Britain, January 8, 2026.,Image: 1064283831, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Isabel Infantes/Avalon
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- 08/01/2026. London, UK. The Prince of Wales, Joint Patron of NHS Charities Together, and the Princess of Wales during a visit to Charing Cross Hospital in West London. Their Royal Highness surprised healthcare staff on their tea break, then spent time with them to discuss the pressures they are facing during the winter virus season. They also met with volunteers managed by the charity who help to improve care for patients and take pressure off the wider workforce. The Prince and Princess then joined a roundtable with NHS charity CEOs and Trustees, policy makers and philanthropists to discuss the important role of philanthropy in the NHS.,Image: 1064287323, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: © Kensington Palace. This image may only be used for news or editorial reporting purposes. This image must NOT be used for any commercial or other use, save for news or editorial reporting and cannot be altered or amended in any manner or form whatsoever., Model Release: no, Credit line: Ryan Jenkinson / Kensington Palace/Avalon
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- The Princess and the Prince of Wales, joint Patrons of NHS Charities Together, during a visit to Charing Cross Hospital, west London, to highlight the work of NHS staff and volunteers as they respond to the increased demand on services during the winter months Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales, William, Prince of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 Jan 2026 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales, joint Patrons of NHS Charities Together, during a visit to Charing Cross Hospital, west London, to highlight the work of NHS staff and volunteers as they respond to the increased demand on services during the winter months Featuring: William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 Jan 2026 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince and the Princess of Wales, joint Patrons of NHS Charities Together, during a visit to Charing Cross Hospital, west London, to highlight the work of NHS staff and volunteers as they respond to the increased demand on services during the winter months Featuring: William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 Jan 2026 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince and the Princess of Wales, joint Patrons of NHS Charities Together, speak to a patient in the therapy gym during a visit to Charing Cross Hospital, west London, to highlight the work of NHS staff and volunteers as they respond to the increased demand on services during the winter months Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales, William, Prince of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 Jan 2026 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales, joint Patrons of NHS Charities Together, attend a roundtable on philanthropy in the National Health Service during a visit to Charing Cross Hospital, west London, to highlight the work of NHS staff and volunteers as they respond to the increased demand on services during the winter months Featuring: William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 08 Jan 2026 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Her veneers are WAY too big for her face. They always have been, but the more thin and gaunt she gets, the worse they look.
I think she got new ones recently.
They look fake, we know they are fake, people don’t have real teeth that are that perfect.
She used to have tiny rat like teeth and a small mouth. But these large teeth are a result of natural aging,. The face is massively photoshopped to look much younger as usual.
She and Willie are mentally unwell. Considering her lack of friends and her ties with her Mum this is not surprising.
If in fact Willie lives somewhere else full time as we suspect, her isolation is also a factor – yes?
Big Blue is very much in evidence in that awful winter video where she is dipping her fingers into some pond. Hope we are not going to hear she lost it . I dont wear rings any more while I garden ,after having stupidly lost one ..not expensive but a favourite . The way she keeps flapping her hands about , her rings or absence of them , is always obvious
I still can’t believe he gave her that cured ring. Did he even ask or did he just say “Here. Take it.”
WTH? Why is her chin crooked? It hasn’t always been like that. Is it Botox or something else?
Whenever she talks in that ridiculous accent, her bottom jaw juts out and goes to the side on certain words.
No, her chin has always been like that.
I’m pretty sure that when your video was shot last year. Because she’s wearing the exact same outfit, she wore in the world cancer day photo that apparently louis took.
Good catch, Kayla!
One of these days Big Blue is going to fly off her finger when she flaps her hands about.
I lost my wedding ring a couple of weeks after getting married, change in the weather from hot to cold, washing my hands in cold water and then flapping them because there was nothing to dry them with, it shot of my finger and rolled down the drain. No luck trying to get it back.
@Sunniside up – So sorry to hear that. Many years ago I lost a sapphire ring for several days and eventually found it on a shelf in our refrigerator. To this day I have no idea how it got there and can only assume it fell off my cold finger. As far as Kate is concerned, her bony fingers can hardly support a ring the size of Big Blue. I am guessing she now wears stacked rings to keep it in place. It seems odd to me that she was not wearing Big Blue for most of 2024 and early 2025 when the rumours were flying around about her whereabouts and the state of her marriage. Now she seems to be wearing it again, so what changed? As far as the recent hospital visit is concerned, she was probably told not to wear excessive jewelry.
I love how that mop on her head is styled so it covers the “childhood scar” that somehow migrated from her scalp to her face.
Scars are funny like that. 😉
I don’t know if Kate wears or doesn’t wear her ring for attention. She’s someone who creepily style stalks her SIL so anything is possible. It was prominent when she dipped her hand into that cold stream instead of wearing warm gloves, lol. For me, it’s whatever. Enough women wear or don’t wear rings for whatever reason that the whole conversation about it is not interesting to me. If it’s supposed to be some bat signal of something, it’s not a good one.
She used to wear big blue all the time and for inappropriate settings. Like scuba diving, sailing, making foods, digging in dirt. But post the missing months, she does not always wear it and online it was noted that this tends to happen when it is a last minute appearance for her.
For a hospital setting like this it seems odd she wouldn’t have it on. Also for an immune compromised person, not wearing a mask is just irresponsible.
Yeah, it makes no sense for her to not wear her engagement ring because of their policy and to not spread germs but NOT wear a mask during a horrible flu season.
I think the first time I recall seeing her without it was the Birmingham games, but I could be mistaken about that.
But that’s why ringwatch is interesting for her – either she’s doing it deliberately to create buzz, or its a matter of whether she has access to it. She may not wear it regularly at home but for over a decade we never saw her at a public appearance without it. And now it seems she’s without it when its last minute appearances which is…..interesting.
She’s gone sailing with it, snorkeling, hiking up mountains, etc. She’s not wearing it now either because she doesn’t want to for nonpractical reasons or because she’s not allowed to.
Most married women – I wouldn’t bat an eye. My wedding set hasn’t fit since about 2 years after my second kid was born. My brother hasn’t worn a wedding ring in probably 15 years (he works in a hospital and kept losing it because he kept taking it off for surgeries so now he just goes without.) Generally speaking I know many married women whose rings go on and off depending on the occasion – maybe they leave them home for vacation, maybe they take them off when they’re gardening or doing work with tools, etc.
But Kate? different story for me.
Over acting such happiness is really weird!!
My first thought too. When you feel you have to *show* your happiness, methinks you’re actually a miserable person.
William also mentioned Kate’s “health journey” instead of using the word “cancer “. He seemed so disinterested to it…and as far as waiting to the hospital about her treatment, I doubt it was similar to anything common people do. I seriously doubt she waited for her “treatment ” in the hospital surrounded by so many people. I’m sure she was “treated” separately and immediately. If not, we’d have many people commenting about it especially during her disappearance..
He mentioned his time with the air ambulance and Kate’s “health journey” as though he spent no time with her during appointments or treatments. Not surprising really but it highlights how awkward he is socially. and that they lead very separate lives.
I thought Kate’s response of ‘I know’ to the hours of waiting was rather cold & detached. I would have said ‘oh, I know, isn’t it awful? the waiting? the chairs are always so uncomfortable!’ or some such. These two are just so…disconnected from real life.
That’s because she was never at the hospital for treatment. Not only was she never spotted, other than Charles, when they talked about her “preventative” treatment William said she gets it at home (Adelaide) and has two lovely Filipino nurses.
On a side note, they were supposedly treating the staff to English Tea as a thank you. All the treats were set under Kate’s nose.
Those two are so phony with their over exaggerated smiles & reactions, when other people are simply being normal around them. I can just hear Will say out loud “smiles on” as they alight off their helicopter & try to engage with people. It’s such a farce. Then, fly back to their many homes & the150 acres of stolen parkland & their many vaults of stolen jewels. We are sold a tawdry tale that the royals are better people and life only has value within the firm.
I think they overacr for the cameras – for them these kind of visits are solely for photo ops.
Love that photo of Willy staring into space and looking bored. The photos of him smiling are just performance art.
You said it.
For 30 million a year he could at least try.
YEARS AGO, he was so awful when interviewed about giving it to her that I was embarrassed for her.
if she was a last minute addition to the visit she likely couldn’t get access to it in time, or Willy forgot to bring it when the helicopter picked her up.
I still can’t believe he gave her that cured ring. Did he even ask or did he just say “Here. Take it.”
WTH? Why is her chin crooked? It hasn’t always been like that. Is it Botox or something else?
Apparently introducing her husband by his name was groundbreaking.
No Big Blue but wow, is she ever freshly botoxed! Overall shine and the whole bit, and of course the overdone “excitement.”
She popped out 3 kids for him so, william is just william now that shes done her real job, he is a now a coworker, a part time roommate who needs a separate bedroom (remember Adelaide didnt have enough rooms? There was one missing for william) william is out there rosebushing, school running after moms and attempting to sexyjog to attract women. She probably takes off big blue to create buzz and interest since she identifies as Ring, but I imagine she possibly also has a loyal secret “friend”, she probably wants willie to be jealous by wearing a ring stack that were possibly given by this other person/or make-believe-other-person, so scooter willie will get jealous. We all know willie doesnt get presents for her, and scooter willie is also too lazy to be jealous.
And also, sexy prince image has died down, meaning he probably found another loyal regular trustworthy rosebush and Kate is not happy about it. The helicopter ride galore of 2025 dont lie.
I always suspected she bought the ring stack herself, particularly the sapphire and diamond band she was seen wearing during her so-called cancer journey when she wasn’t wearing Big Blue.
C’mon, People magazine! ‘The royal may have been respecting common hospital policy to keep jewelry to a minimum to reduce the spread of germs.’ There is no such policy for visitors! Maybe doctors & nurses, but not visitors! 🤦♀️. But you know what IS a common hospital policy? Wearing masks.
That has been one of my biggest issues with all of this talk about her supposedly having cancer. At no point has she ever worn a mask during what was the time that she was getting chemo treatment and still going out during public engagements like Wimbledon, Trooping or a Caroling show. Someone going through chemo has a very weak immune system and the probability of being exposed to harmful or deadly germs is less likely to come from jewelry that a patient is less likely to come in contact with than a person speaking, coughing or spitting in their face without a mask. Her always being around legitimate cancer patients without a mask is also always alarming to me.
That’s the thing that most puzzles me about Kate. There are such obvious ways she could use her platform and wearing a mask during this terrible flu season would have been such an easy way to have an impact.
She’s just so … useless.