The Princess of Wales visited Southport with her husband Prince William yesterday in her first community royal engagement of the year since her cancer diagnosis.

Princess Kate visited Southport yesterday with Prince William

Princess Kate visited Southport yesterday with Prince William (Image: Danny Lawson – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Princess Kate stepped out on a royal community engagement with Prince William yesterday in Southport for the first time since her cancer diagnosis.

The couple, who met with emergency responders and the families of the three young girls who were stabbed to death at a dance class earlier this year, were in the town for a few hours.

While many were pleased to see the princess, 42, feeling well enough to return to a public duty, many royal fans were also quick to notice the absence of Kate’s engagement ring.

Instead, the Princess of Wales was wearing a new collection of jewellery on her wedding finger, which fans were quick to pick up on.

According to GB News, the mother-of-three opted instead for a thin golden ring along with what is believed to be a new “eternity band”.

Princess Kate stroking her hair

The princess was not wearing her usual engagement ring (Image: Danny Lawson – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Tobias Kormind, the co-founder and MD of 77 Diamonds, Europe’s largest online diamond jeweller, told GB News that the new ring could symbolise William and Kate’s love.

He said: “Kate’s new ring may be a symbol of hope for new beginnings, with an emotional tie to the past.

“Eternity rings represent everlasting love, and this style of ring echoed the sentiment of the moving video, where Kate was seen spending time with those closest to her.”

The new jewellery choice on Thursday comes just over a month since the release of a video by The Princess of Wales confirming the end of her chemotherapy treatment.

In the moving video, the princess spoke about the important things in life such as “loving” and “being loved”.Princess Kate stroking her hair

Kate also confirmed a gradual return to public duties, with the visit to Southport being her first community engagement since last year, despite appearing at public events such as Trooping the Colour.

The princess paired her new jewellery collection with a very autumnal outfit including a chocolate brown coat dress.