While everyone expects Prince Harry to slip a Welsh gold wedding ring on the finger of Meghan Markle during their nuptials, he is unlikely to wear one himself.
Royal wedding rings worn by brides are traditionally made from Welsh gold but very few men in the monarchy have chosen to don a wedding band.
When Prince William married, he followed in the footsteps of his grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh and uncle the Duke of York who both chose not to wear one.
By contrast, royal brides have been given wedding rings made from gold nuggets from Clogau St David's mine at Bontddu in North Wales and Ms Markle is expected to follow suit.
Kate Middleton's wedding ring - a plain, slim gold band - was made by royal warrant holders Wartski and fashioned from a nugget of Welsh gold given to Prince William by the Queen as a gift to mark the 2011 wedding.
In contrast to other royal men, Prince Charles does wear a wedding band - under a signet ring on the little finger of his left hand.
The Queen Mother began the tradition of royal wedding rings being made from Welsh gold after the metal was used to make her wedding band in 1923.
One nugget of gold was used to make the Queen Mother's ring, the Queen's in 1947, Princess Margaret's in 1960, the Princess Royal's in 1973 and that of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1981.
The gold came from the Clogau St David's mine. There is now only a minute sliver - one gram - of the original nugget left.
In November 1981, the British Royal Legion presented the Queen with a 36-gram piece of 21-carat Welsh gold for future royal wedding rings.
Australian Associated Press
