Princess Diana & Kate Middleton’s Royal Engagement Ring
Season 4 of The Crown covers the period between 1977 and 1990 – a fascinating time for the Royal Family, in which we’re introduced to the magnetic Princess Diana. Emma Corrin plays the young royal and captures the beauty and nuances of Diana perfectly. This season also features some fantastic jewellery moments, showing when the soon-to-be princess chose her engagement ring at Windsor castle and beautifully reproduces the regal jewellery she wore during all her royal engagements. The show even features the scandalous ‘Fred and Gladys’ bracelet, a secret gift from Prince Charles (played by Josh O’Connor) to Camilla Parker-Bowles (played by Emerald Fennell) given to his lover three days before his royal wedding to Lady Di.
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All in all, one piece of the royal family’s jewellery collection has truly stood the test of time – Princess Diana’s engagement ring. A family heirloom that now belongs to Catherine, Princess of Wales, it might be the most famous engagement ring in history. In The Crown, Diana is presented with a selection of engagement rings. She considers all of the rings, first picking a Burmese ruby heirloom, before settling on the 12 carat oval Ceylon blue sapphire ring. The Queen (played by Olivia Colman) asks why she has chosen this ring, and she responds with ‘Because it reminds me of my mother’s engagement ring, and it’s the same colour as my eyes.’
Diana's blue sapphire
The incredible sapphire ring was designed by Crown jeweller, Garrard, at a cost of £28,500; which would amount to about £110,000 today. The ring featured a 12 carat oval Ceylon sapphire, surrounded by 14 round brilliant diamonds, set in an 18 carat white gold band. The iconic engagement ring was not specifically designed for Princess Diana, causing controversy at the time. People regarded the ring as a ‘commoners ring’ as technically anyone could have bought it, and it was tradition that each royal bride would have her engagement ring custom made.
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Even though the ring was not designed for Diana, when it comes to jewellery that turns heads, the elegant sapphire engagement ring would certainly land somewhere at the top of the list. Princess Diana’s ring catapulted blue sapphire engagement rings to the height of popularity, and the style that was once thought ‘common’ has now become synonymous with nobility. To this day, sapphires are a popular choice for couples that want an engagement ring that makes a bold personal statement.
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Kate Middleton's engagement ring
Princess Diana continued to wear her engagement ring long after she separated from Prince Charles, it was one of her favourite accessories. In the wake of Diana’s tragic passing in 1997, Prince Harry inherited the ring, choosing it as a keepsake to remember his mother by. According to Diana’s butler Paul Burrell, Harry chose the ring because of a particular memory: ‘I remember when I held mummy’s hand when I was a small boy and that ring always hurt me because it was so big.’ Prince William chose his mother’s watch.
Preceding Prince William’s engagement to Kate Middleton, the brothers decided to switch their keepsakes, so William could propose with his mother’s engagement ring. Prince Harry didn’t miss out, Meghan Markle’s engagement ring was created with two diamonds from Diana’s personal jewellery collection, and a centre diamond from Botswana – a special place for the couple. When Prince William was asked why he chose his mother’s ring to propose with, he responded that ‘It was my way of making sure my mother didn’t miss out on today, and the excitement, and the fact that we’re going to spend the rest of our lives together.’
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When Prince William and Kate Middleton became engaged in 2010, the royal engagement ring’s fame grew exponentially. Globally, the sale of blue sapphires went up around 300%. And Diana’s ring, already iconic, became priceless in meaning and value.
This famous sapphire engagement ring has garnered fans from all over the world who appreciate its striking colour and design. The style is bold, yet refined. It suited every single one of Princess Diana’s extraordinary outfits, and it perfectly reflects the definitive beauty and classic tailored looks of the now-Princess of Wales, Catherine.
Sapphire and diamond engagement rings
Whether you’ve considered a sapphire engagement ring previously or not, most people would quickly admit that Kate Middleton’s inherited engagement ring sets the standard for breathtaking engagement rings. And she’s far from alone—her royal cousin Princess Eugenie received a beautiful coral pink 3 carat padparadscha sapphire, almost identical in style to Kate’s ring. Penelope Cruz, Elizabeth Hurley and other women of discerning taste have all chosen the mighty sapphire for their engagement rings as well.
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Prized for their depth of colour, sapphires offer nearly endless possibilities for creating a truly unique ring specific to the tastes of each couple, in large part because of the variety of options. Sapphires are available in an array of colours including pink, violet, yellow, white, and more. This stunning diversity offers the creator of a bespoke sapphire engagement ring with many options for crafting an exclusive piece of jewellery.
We’ve crafted a selection of sapphire engagement rings which you can view on our bespoke engagement ring gallery. However, many prefer the classic look of Kate Middleton’s royal engagement ring above all others. For those looking for the top prize in sapphire engagement rings, Taylor & Hart can give you the ring experience you’re looking for.
Recreating Princess Diana's and Kate's engagement ring
If you would like a ring similar in style to the royal sapphire, below are a few design options that may appeal to those who appreciate this lovely ring, all within a range of price points.
Is a sapphire engagement ring right for me?
A sapphire engagement ring is a great choice for women who are fans of the Princess Diana engagement ring, but the appeal certainly doesn’t stop there.
As sapphire is the official birthstone of September, a sapphire engagement ring is a great choice for couples who plan to get engaged in September, for anyone born in September, or for whom September is a month filled with meaning.
A sapphire engagement ring also often appeals to women who enjoy wearing high fashion, bold colours, or who simply desire an engagement ring different from the traditional white diamond style.
If you are interested in any of the Princess Diana & Princess Catherine-inspired engagement ring designs, schedule a consultation with us or take a look at our unique ring gallery where there are plenty of designs to inspire you to get started on your own bespoke halo engagement ring.
