Princess Diana had one of the most recognisable engagement rings in royal history.
The late Princess of Wales and then Prince Charles announced their engagement to the public on 24 February 1981, giving people their first glimpse of her sapphire and diamond sparkler.
Royal women have often favoured sapphires, especially when it comes to engagement rings: Princess Anne wears a blue sapphire engagement ring, and Princess Eugenie wears a rare blush-coloured padparadscha sapphire ring.
While this particular gemstone may be a royal favourite, Diana’s engagement ring was not a bespoke piece, breaking with royal tradition. Although initially a controversial choice, the ring has become one of the most iconic and priceless pieces of royal jewellery.
Following Diana’s death in August 1997, the sapphire ring was inherited by her son Prince Harry, who eventually offered it to his older brother Prince William before proposing to Kate Middleton with it in 2010.
Affectionately known as the People’s Princess, Diana often made her own way within the royal family – and her engagement ring is just one example of how she did things her own way. From choosing her ring from a catalogue to its enduring legacy, here are all the details on Princess Diana’s engagement ring.
Many royals often repurpose heirloom gems to create unique engagement rings. Prince Philip used diamonds from a tiara belonging to his mother, Princess Alice of Greece, for Queen Elizabeth’s engagement ring in 1947. In 2017, Prince Harry used two stones from Diana’s personal jewellery collection for Meghan Markle’s engagement ring.
Prince Charles and Diana, however, bucked this long-standing tradition by choosing an engagement ring from jeweller Garrard’s catalogue. As the ring was from a stock collection, members of the public were able to purchase the piece.
The now iconic ring features a 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire set in 18-carat white gold and surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds. It was valued at $37,500 when Charles proposed to Diana in 1981.
According to Garrard, although the ring was not bespoke, its design was inspired by a brooch commissioned by Prince Albert for his bride-to-be, Queen Victoria, in 1840. The piece featured a large sapphire surrounded by 12 round diamonds and was set in gold. Queen Victoria is said to have loved the piece so much that she wore it on her wedding day, pinning it to the front of her wedding dress as her ‘something blue’.
After Victoria’s death in 1901, the brooch was declared a Crown Heirloom. The late Queen Elizabeth later wore the brooch several times during her reign.
Diana’s 19th-century-inspired ring was one of many Charles chose to present to the Princess of Wales at Windsor Castle in preparation for his marriage proposal. Charles chose the sapphire and diamond ring because it reminded him of the brooch he often saw his mother and grandmother wearing.
Princess Diana reportedly chose the sapphire ring because it matched her blue eyes.
