Know why British politicians don't wear wedding ring bands

New Delhi: No British Prime Minister has worn a wedding ring since 1976.The last married male occupant of 10 Downing Street to wear a wedding ring in public was Harold Wilson, who was PM from 1964 to 1970 and 1974 to 1976.While marriage as an institution is applauded by these politicians but they choose not to reveal their own, ironic it is.Harold Wilson, the last British PM to wear a wedding ringFrom Tony Blair to David Cameroon, it seems sporting the wedding band is passe.David Cameron chose to follow his father's footsteps by not wearing the band. The Labour politician, Gordon Brown, who in 2000 married Sarah Macaulay, in a secret ceremony, also did not flaunt a wedding band.Tony Blair and John Major are also in the same frame. If we go back into history, a wedding ring was worn only by the bride because it served at times to represent ownership by her husband. Wedding ring was not worn by British men until the latter part of 20th century.However, the tradition of wearing wedding rings became popular after Second World War when men stayed away from home on the war front.The wedding ring reminded them of their wives and marital life when they were away from home. Winston Churchill followed the ring tradition and used to wear a gold signet but on a different finger. The British elite men are still conservative when it comes to dressing. Perhaps this is the reason for not wearing a wedding ring.The notion of men not looking masculine when wearing jewellery is still common in European countries.