Prince William spotted without wedding ring - here's why

Royal Family fans have noticed an unusual detail in the photos of Prince William and Kate Middleton taken at the royal banquet last night (4 December).

For those who missed it, King Charles III and Queen Camilla welcomed the German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Budenbender to the UK for a three-day state visit earlier this week.

The high-profile couple arrived on Wednesday (3 December) with the British royals hosting them in Windsor Castle, marking the first state visit by a German president for 27 years.

They're set to fly home today after a busy trip that included a slew of engagements, such as a meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and a ceremonial welcome featuring a 41-gun royal salute.

The Prince and Princess of Wales met the couple at Heathrow Airport, and escorted them by car to a dais on their eight-mile journey to Datchet Road in Windsor’s town centre.

Kensington Palace released a stunning portrait of the Prince and Princess of Wales ahead of yesterday's state banquet (Kensington Palace)

However, as usual with any state visit, the standout moment was the lavish banquet held in honour of the German President and his wife.

Ahead of the meal, Kate and William's social media accounts released a new official portrait of the couple, with the Princess looking regal in a dazzling blue Jenny Packham gown.

She also debuted Queen Victoria's Oriental Circlet Tiara for the special occasion Windsor state dinner, meanwhile, William wore a traditional white tie with a black tailcoat and adorned with princely regalia.

And while fans were quick to compliment the royal couple in the comments, one Reddit user questioned where William's wedding ring was and why he wasn't wearing it.

The answer is a simple one - he never has.

And William’s decision to not wear a wedding band was actually made before the couple exchanged vows at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011.

The Reddit user asked: "Where is his ring?" to which someone else rightly confirmed: "He has never worn a wedding ring."

Another chimed in with: "They made a big deal of it when they first got married. Harry is apparently the only Windsor male that wears a traditional wedding band on the usual finger."

While Kate wears a wedding ring, William has never had one (WPA Pool/Getty Images)

And someone else added: "He has never worn a wedding ring. Harry is the only one to wear one."

The reason behind the decision is reportedly, simply down to personal preference as he's not a huge fan of jewellery.

At the time, a palace insider allegedly told The Mirror: "He’s not one for jewellery. He’s never worn any. He decided he didn’t want to wear one now. It’s all down to personal preference."

Also in 2011 ahead of the big day, a royal spokesperson reportedly told Us Weekly: "There will only be one ring, which is in accordance with the wishes of Prince William and Catherine.

"It’s quite common for there to just be the one ring in society or royal weddings. It’s been the same in other royal weddings, so it’s not a rare occurrence."

So there you have it, next time you see William without a ring, don't assume the worst!