If one was to ever name the most iconic engagement to occur in the 2010s, Kate Middleton and Prince William’s would almost definitely take the cake.
The world was in various states of joy as the exciting news was announced about the future King and Queen Consort of England.
And at the time, there was one thing above all that people couldn’t wait to see – the coveted engagement ring.
Let’s be clear here – the choosing of royal engagement rings is no small feat.
With a plethora of precious jewels and stones having long been passed down through the royals, you can bet that any engagement ring bestowed within the family is bound to have a very special meaning and history.
That’s why when Kate’s stunning sapphire engagement ring was revealed for all to see, the world, quite frankly, lost it.
The stunning royal couple had the world riveted when they announced their engagement.
(Getty)The ring, worth approximately AUD $547,000, once belonged to none other than Princess Diana, and had appeared to have been passed down to her son for the special moment.
Only, it has emerged that the ring might actually have been destined for another prominent royal – Meghan Markle.
According to The Diana Story documentary, the 12 carat oval ring, which is surrounded by a glorious ring of diamonds, was actually given to Prince Harry following his mother’s tragic death when he and Prince William were invited to choose a memento belonging to Diana.
According to the documentary, former staffer Paul Burrell detailed how Prince William had opted for Diana’s gorgeous Cartier watch, while Prince Harry chose her ring, which she received upon her engagement to Prince Charles in 1981.
However, apparently when Harry discovered William was about to propose to Kate, he told his older brother: “Wouldn’t it be fitting if she had mummy’s ring?”
And so it was, it seems!
Kate’s sapphire engagement ring, which belonged to Diana, never fails to take our breath away.
(Getty)The Express revealed the details from the documentary, which featured Burrell explaining Harry’s generous act.
“Harry gave up his precious treasure. His one thing he kept from his mother, he gave to his brother. That’s selfless, kind, and exactly who Diana was,” he said.
That being said, while it seems Meghan Markle might have originally been destined to receive the stunning piece of jewellery, her own engagement ring was just as special.
The now Duchess of Sussex’s ring, which featured a gorgeous gold band and three dazzling stones, stole the show when Harry and Meghan’s engagement was announced in 2017.
Two of the smaller diamonds on the bands also came from Princess Diana’s own personal jewellery collection, so in a beautiful way, both Harry and Wills ensured their wives will always have a special memento of the late People’s Princess.
WATCH: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle joke about during their engagement interview. Story continues after video…
In June 2019, it was revealed Meghan had made a small tweak to her engagement ring.
Spotted by eagle-eyed royal fans during her appearance at Trooping the Colour, the ring appeared to have been “reset” on a thin micro-pavé band, different to the original solid yellow gold one.
But new band or not, the change didn’t retract from the beautiful connection the ring holds to Princess Diana.
Meghan’s engagement ring has appeared to be “reset” since her engagement with Prince Harry, though the gorgeous feature stones remain the same.
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