The Princess of Wales showcases her ring stack on a deeply personal engagement in East Anglia

The Princess of Wales showcased her trademark ring stack as she supported one of her most treasured patronages in Ipswich on Thursday morning. Catherine was in town to champion the work of East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH), where she has served as Patron since 2012.

The future queen arrived in an Autumn ensemble, donning a forest-green trouser suit and warm turtleneck jumper for the outing, though she quickly put on a high-vis jacket and helmet as she joined a tour of the extension of children's hospice The Treehouse.

In spite of the hard-wearing uniform, Catherine still wore her ring stack, which has gained great attention among royal watchers for its variability and customisation. The star of the show was, as ever, the Princess's dazzling sapphire engagement ring, dubbed ‘big blue’ by fans, which previously belonged to Princess Diana – but throughout the past two years, Catherine has been spotted out and about with a series of elegant bands surrounding the engagement ring, switching up styles depending on the occasion. Although it was difficult to see the exact configuration of rings on display for this particular occasion, Catherine has four slim bands that she has worn on recent outings.

One eternity ring, a newer addition to the Princess’s jewellery box since 2025, is adorned with diamonds and sapphires, and is thought to be the Étincelle de Cartier wedding band. Many have speculated that the ring may have been a present from Prince William to mark the end of Kate's course of preventative chemotherapy – and of course, it coordinates perfectly with her engagement ring.

A second ring, set with smaller diamonds for a pavé effect, is another relatively recent addition to Catherine's jewellery collection, and goes well with her other pieces, given its subtle sparkle. The Princess' third eternity ring is an older piece: a sparkling, diamond-encrusted style, it hails from Annoushka – one of Kate's favourite jewellers – and is thought to have been a present from William following the birth of Prince George in 2013. The fourth and final thin band adorning the Princess' finger is always, of course, her wedding ring, crafted from the same nugget of Welsh gold used for Queen Elizabeth's own wedding band.

It was a return to The Treehouse for the Princess of Wales, who opened the hospice in March 2012, one of her earliest engagements as a newly married royal. Catherine was given a tour of the new expansion, seeing firsthand the construction of a new hydrotherapy pool, wellbeing and therapy suites, a dedicated space for teenagers, a larger care area, and additional bedroom space.

Her Royal Highness then met with some of the service users at The Treehouse, learning from the children and families receiving care and support about how the hospice offers creative therapies using music and holistic care to nurture each child’s emotional, social and developmental wellbeing – a cause that the Princess of Wales has long championed.

The East Anglia Children’s Hospices organisation announced Catherine, then the Duchess of Cambridge, as their Royal Patron in 2012. It was a milestone in her royal career, marking her first public speech at the opening of The Treehouse in Ipswich. Indeed, Catherine has dedicated many of her royal ‘firsts’ to her work with children’s hospices. Her first ever video message came in April 2013 to mark Children’s Hospice Week, championing the ‘remarkable work’ that EACH and other such charities do.

In 2019, the then-Duchess opened EACH’s new hospice, The Nook, following a five-year public appeal to raise £10 million. During a short public speech at the event, Catherine recalled her first speech at the opening of The Treehouse, telling the crowd: ‘I think I will remember [it] for some years to come, as it was my first-ever speech.’

In 2022, she marked the 10-year anniversary of her patronage with a visit to EACH at Milton with Prince William – the first time that her husband had joined her in support of the charity. This was a particularly moving occasion, as Princess Diana had opened the hospice back in 1989. Speaking of Catherine’s continued support of the charity, EACH Chief Executive Phil Gormley said:

‘Throughout the decade, The Duchess has been immensely supportive by championing our cause. Her continued support comes with warmth, empathy and understanding, including beyond public view, and her Patronage is enjoyed and appreciated by everyone at EACH.

‘We are extremely thankful and consider ourselves honoured and very lucky to benefit from her hard work, generosity and support.’