When your engagement ring is as fabulous as Meghan Markle’s, surely you’d want to show it off at every moment you can.
Well, the Duchess of Sussex has ditched her bling on the South African leg of her current royal tour with Prince Harry and was spotted wearing something a lot more low-key.
For her first engagement of the day on Tuesday, Duchess Meghan kept it casual with her denim jacket, white shirt and simple black pants but eagle-eyed royal watchers noticed that her diamond engagement ring was missing.
In its place, the royal mum-of-one sported a delicate turquoise ring by Jennifer Meyer that complimented her gold wedding band perfectly.
So why isn’t Meghan wearing her most famous piece of jewellery? Turns out it all goes back to good old fashioned royal protocol.
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Where oh where is Duchess Meghan’s engagement ring?
(Image: Getty Images)Speaking to HELLO! magazine, a source revealed that Meghan chose to leave her three carat sparkler at home in an effort to be “low key” while doing her meet and greets with the public.
During their official engagement interview, Prince Harry revealed that he helped to design the ring and the three diamonds on it hold special significance.
“The ring is obviously yellow gold because that’s [Meghan’s] favourite and the main stone itself I sourced from Botswana and the little diamonds either side are from my mother’s jewellery collection, to make sure that she’s with us on this crazy journey together,” he said back in 2017.
While Meghan’s engagement ring is valued at an approximate and eye-watering US$200,000 (that’s almost AU$250,000) the turquoise replacement is valued at a more modest US$250 (AU$368).
Meghan’s engagement ring isn’t exactly “low key.”
(Image: Getty Images)The Duchess of Sussex’s engagement ring had a makeover itself earlier this year when royal watchers noticed that its gold band had been replaced with a delicate diamond-studded one.
During this year’s Trooping the Colour festivities, Meghan who was still officially on maternity leave sported her new and improved engagement ring along with an eternity ring thought to be a push present from her husband following Archie’s birth.
Watch Duchess Meghan at the 2019 Trooping the Colour festivities below. Post continues after video…
Typically, engagement and wedding rings and perhaps the odd necklace or pair of earrings are fine for royal ladies to wear day-to-day, but items like tiaras and other extravagant pieces of jewellery are reserved for more formal occasions.
“Other jewels are worn pre-6pm,” royal etiquette expert Myka Meier told news.com.au.
“Before 6pm, you’ll see metallics, gemstones, pearls, sapphires. At night, you’ll see the diamonds come out, and that’s in order to not come across as flashy in your appearance.”
