A seal assembly for a rotary machine which includes a rotor assembly having a rotatable rotor shaft, the seal assembly being disposed to restrict the leakage of a lubricating fluid from a bearing compartment of the machine and the entry of a hot working medium gas into the bearing compartment, the seal assembly comprising: the rotary shaft; a stationary housing liner; a spacer which is rotatable with the shaft and which extends circumferentially about and radially outward from the shaft; a seal plate which is rotatable with the shaft and which extends circumferentially about and radially outward from the shaft the seal plate including a longitudinally extending leg and a radially extending leg; a ring seal which is free and which is longitudinally located between the spacer and the seal plate and radially spaced between the stationary housing liner and the shaft, a seal plate-facing surface of the ring seal abutting the seal plate at a radially extending seal plate region of the radially extending leg of the seal plate and slidably engaging the seal plate, a housing liner-facing surface of the ring seal abutting the housing liner at a circumferentially extending housing liner region of the housing liner and in slidable or static engagement with the housing liner; and a ring seal midplate which is rotatable with the shaft and which extends circumferentially about and radially outward from the shaft, wherein the ring seal midplate is not attached to the spacer or the seal plate during a hardface process which is applied to any component of the seal assembly, and wherein the ring seal midplate is longitudinally located between the spacer and the longitudinally extending leg of the seal plate and radially spaced between the ring seal and the shaft. the rotary shaft; a stationary housing liner; a spacer which is rotatable with the shaft and which extends circumferentially about and radially outward from the shaft; a seal plate which is rotatable with the shaft and which extends circumferentially about and radially outward from the shaft the seal plate including a longitudinally extending leg and a radially extending leg; a ring seal which is free and which is longitudinally located between the spacer and the seal plate and radially spaced between the stationary housing liner and the shaft, a seal plate-facing surface of the ring seal abutting the seal plate at a radially extending seal plate region of the radially extending leg of the seal plate and slidably engaging the seal plate, a housing liner-facing surface of the ring seal abutting the housing liner at a circumferentially extending housing liner region of the housing liner and in slidable or static engagement with the housing liner; and a ring seal midplate which is rotatable with the shaft and which extends circumferentially about and radially outward from the shaft, wherein the ring seal midplate is not attached to the spacer or the seal plate during a hardface process which is applied to any component of the seal assembly, and wherein the ring seal midplate is longitudinally located between the spacer and the longitudinally extending leg of the seal plate and radially spaced between the ring seal and the shaft.