Engagement ring of Diana, Princess of Wales

Lady Diana Spencer and Charles, Prince of Wales, became engaged in February 1981. Her engagement ring consists of 14 solitaire diamonds surrounding a 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire set in 18-karat white gold. It was created by jeweler Garrard and cost at the time, 28,000 pounds sterling.[1][2][3] Diana's selection of this ring was unusual. It was neither custom-made nor unique and was, at the time of her engagement to Charles, featured in Garrard's jewellery collection and available to anyone for purchase.[4] Some commentators say Diana selected it because it reminded her of her mother's engagement ring. Jewellery historian Leslie Field stated: "She [Diana] had obviously already said she would like a sapphire; she had half a dozen rings [to select from] and she chose this one purely because she liked it." Fields continued: "Somebody came up with the story that she immediately went for the biggest, but I asked her and she told me it definitely wasn't the biggest, she simply thought it was very beautiful."[5]

After Diana's death, Princes William and Harry selected mementos from their mother's possessions. Harry chose the engagement ring, while William selected Diana's £19'000 yellow gold Cartier Tank Francaise watch. They eventually exchanged mementos.[5] When Prince William proposed to Catherine Middleton in the fall of 2010, he gave her the ring. Middleton eventually had the ring resized. It was a size H, and prior to her wedding, she asked Crown Jewellers G Collins and Sons to attach two platinum studs to it to make it a size I.[6]

The ring has a deep personal significance for Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and her husband, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge.[7] Prince William said at the time of his wedding, that the ring was very special to him and that giving it to Catherine was his way of making sure his mother didn't miss out on his wedding day. [8]

After the engagement was announced, some called the ring the "Commoner's Sapphire," a reference to the bride's non-royal origins.[9] Others considered the ring a tragic symbol associated with Diana's failed marriage to the Prince of Wales and untimely death in a car accident in Paris.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "O anel de noivado de Kate Middleton". Joias em Ouro. 25 April 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  2. ↑ Sofia Benini. "Anel de noivado de Kate Middleton pertenceu à Princesa Diana". Casamento Click. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  3. ↑ Gilberto Júnior (23 November 2010). "Anel de noivado de Kate Middleton, avaliado em mais de R$ 74 mil, ganha versão a R$ 4 nas ruas do Rio". iG. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  4. ↑ "DIANA'S JEWELS". Princess Diana. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  5. 1 2 David, Wilkes (17 November 2010). "A ring fit for his mother...and his love: Prince William's sapphire and diamond engagement ring for Kate". Mail Online. UK.
  6. ↑ Showbiz, Bang (13 April 2011). "Kate Middleton gets Diana's ring resized". The Independent. UK.
  7. ↑ "Kate and the riddle of the missing engagement ring Highlight of new souvenir jewellery collection is banned from sale at Royal gift shop". Daily Mail. UK. 2 January 2016.
  8. ↑ "Kate Middleton withdraws sale of souvenir replica of Princess Diana's engagement ring". http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/. UK. 4 January 2016. External link in |work= (help)
  9. ↑ ">Seren (15 December 2012). "The Legacy of the Royal Engagement Ring: From Diana to Catherine". Fancy Color Diamonds. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  10. ↑ Pearson, Allison (23 April 2011). "Royal wedding: Diana's ghost will be everywhere on Prince William's big day". The Telegraph. UK.
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