Prince William, 41, Spotted without Wedding Ring Following Princess Catherine's Photoshop Controversy

Prince William's notably missing wedding ring at the Commonwealth Day celebration sparked a flurry of speculation and concern among royal watchers. This incident, coupled with the recent controversies surrounding photoshopped images and the health of key royal figures, has put the monarchy in the spotlight.

This year's Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration was graced by prominent members of the Royal Family, including The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and The Princess Royal.

Prince William was seen beside his stepmother, Queen Camilla, engaging warmly with attendees through handshakes and smiles. Photos from the event were posted on the royal social media accounts.

However, amidst the regal splendor and ceremonious greetings, eagle-eyed observers on social media noted something amiss. William was without his wedding ring.

This observation quickly spiraled into a hot topic, with comments flooding the royal family's social media post. Concerns and curiosity were voiced openly, as one commenter asked, "..is he wearing a wedding ring? Bc I do not see one," while another stated, "William without his wedding ring."

Other onlookers noticed similarities to his late mother, Princess Diana. "William's smile: exactly his mom's!" remarked one user. Others commented on his burgeoning role within the Royal Family, suggesting, "Clearly, William has stepped into the role of king."

Meanwhile, one commenter noted, "He looks so sad to me." A particularly sharp comment asked, "Is this photoshopped?" alluding to a recent controversy where the Royal Family was accused of posting an edited picture of Kate Middleton and her children.

This year's Commonwealth Day was held on March 11, 2024, and marked 75 years of the Commonwealth's existence, with this year's theme, ‘One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Commonwealth’, shedding light on resilience across the globe.

The celebration was a rich tapestry of performances and reflections from the five regions of the Commonwealth, symbolizing unity, strength, and the collective future of its 56 member countries.

Amid the continuous attendance of some royal family members in engagements, there remains a lot of uncertainty in what's happening behind palace walls, including details of King Charles' cancer diagnosis and Kate's health issues.

As announced in February, the King stepped back from the public eye. The news has been met with a mix of respect for his privacy and calls for transparency about his condition. Despite limited appearances, the demand for openness remains.

Concurrently, the enigmatic nature of Kate's health post-abdominal surgery has been a fertile ground for conspiracy theories. Despite the palace's efforts to quell rumors with updates on her recovery, the public's thirst for information has not been fully satiated. Kate's rare sighting post-surgery only added layers to the mystery surrounding her condition.

In these turbulent times, the Queen and the Prince of Wales have admirably stepped forward, fulfilling royal duties with a sense of commitment and resilience that speaks volumes of their dedication to the crown and the Commonwealth.

A spokesperson for the palace succinctly addressed the fervor surrounding William's online portrayal, stating, "His focus is on his work and not on social media."

Since taking a break to care for his wife, William's first public appearance was on February 7, 2024, marked by a morning of investitures at Windsor Castle. The palace shared glimpses of this event on social media.

The tranquility was soon disrupted by controversy over a photoshopped photo of Kate Middleton and her children, released in celebration of Mother's Day. Critiques and observations about the photo's authenticity circulated widely.

In the photograph, the princess can be seen hugging her three children — Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5. However, the picture might not be as innocent as it appears at first glance. It did not escape the notice of fans that kids are holding their fingers in a rather unusual way.

"Why’s Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte fingers crossed?" questioned a fan. "Prince Louis's fingers are crossed, what you do when you tell a lie. Is it a message?" another chimed in.

"Not to mention the fact that both George & Louis have their middle fingers crossed over their ring fingers & Charlotte has her ring finger crossed over her middle... But that's a level of possible symbolism I'm not well versed in," another fan remarked.

A lot of people believe that it is, in fact, a message. Things have not been so good on the Middleton side of the family. First, her disappearance, and now — lies regarding Prince William and the author of the photo. Initially, it was announced that he was the one who took the picture of his wife and the kids, but later on, this information has since been discredited.

"Prince William lied about taking a photo of Kate Middleton and kids. Photo agencies say it’s fake. They have issued a Kill Notification," posted a user online.

While some worry about the misinformation being spread, others are concerned for the well-being of the family. Some believe that Prince Louis's finger sign is a reference to the "Truman Show."

"And Prince Louis's fingers are crossed (throwback to the aha moment in "The Truman Show"?)!" commented a user.

In the famous show starring Jim Carrey, there was a moment when the main character noticed something odd about his wedding photos. In the pictures, his wife Meryl has her fingers crossed while kissing him, revealing that she never had real feelings for him.

The fabricated marriage depicted in "The Truman Show" criticizes the media, mirroring real-world celebrity relationships that are faked purely for the sake of entertainment. Fans are speculating that kids are sending signs of their parents' relationship also being faked.

Just a while back, Prince William made headlines when he was spotted at a black-tie event sitting next to another woman while his wife was recovering from surgery. This only fueled the public's concerns about the state of their marriage

The palace's response to the ensuing speculation was a statement signed "C," believed to be penned by Catherine, Princess of Wales herself. It read, "Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused."

As previously posted on February 12:

After her first public outing since her surgery in January, fans of the royal family noticed a new dynamic between Princess Catherine and her husband, Prince William. Some observers viewed their public outing as a positive sign, indicative of happiness and unity within their relationship.

Yet, the sighting also revived uneasy comparisons to a tumultuous period in royal history, with one fan commenting it was "reminiscent of Charles and Di at the end." Others voiced concern, suggesting "Will is mad with her!" and that it "reminds me of the pictures of his parents during their last year together," with the prevailing sentiment being that they appeared "so unhappy."

Amidst these observations, a notable portion of fans detected an undercurrent of "tension" between the royal couple. Skepticism about the state of their union was evident, with comments suggesting that Kate and William might not be on "good terms." One particularly somber prediction from a fan was that "the wheels could be falling off this marriage," a reflection on the unique pressures faced by those living a life of royal duty.

Despite the theories about their marriage, a faction of supporters emerged, encouraging Princess Catherine to "stay strong" and reassuring others that she would be fine now that she once again had her prince beside her, pointing to a resilient hope for their marriage's future.

Adding a factual layer to the narrative, it was reported that the Princess of Wales was seen on Monday in public with Prince William, as the couple departed Windsor.

Kensington Palace clarified that the Prince of Wales was on his way to the Commonwealth Day service at London's Westminster Abbey, marking an important occasion in the royal calendar. Catherine's absence from the service was noted, with it being understood that she had a private appointment elsewhere.

The royal family's engagement with the public extended to social media, where they shared an Instagram carousel featuring various family members, including The Queen, The Prince of Wales, and The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, among others. The caption accompanying the post highlighted their attendance at the Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey.

This year's service was particularly significant as it celebrated 75 years of the Commonwealth under the theme ‘One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Commonwealth’. The theme sought to showcase stories of resilience from across the five regions of the Commonwealth, enriched by performances and reflections.

In the backdrop of these public duties and appearances, Prince William's commitment to his family has been unwavering. Following a period where the Queen assumed additional responsibilities in the King's stead, the Prince of Wales has also balanced his public engagements with personal support for his wife and children during her recovery. A spokesman for the prince emphasized his dedication, stating, "His focus is on his work and not on social media."