The British Royal Family are known for their incredible jewels. With a vast amount of stunning family heirlooms, the Windsor dynasty is never stuck for sparkling accessories – engagement rings being no exception. Read on for our favourite engagement rings, and our experts’ suggestions on how to get the look for less.
1. Princess Beatrice
The most recent headline-making British Royal engagement was that of Princess Beatrice to property tycoon, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, announced on 26th September 2019. After a romance that’s lasted 11 months, Beatrice and Edoardo announced they are getting married in 2020.
Princess Beatrice’s ring is a diamond “sidestone ring”; a diamond solitaire in the centre with additional diamonds on each side of it. The centre stone is a round brilliant cut diamond, at around 3.5 carats – we estimate its cost to be around £100,000. The centre stone is displayed between baguette cut diamond sidestones, and the setting is probably made of platinum.
Get the look
2. Princess Eugenie
Princess Eugenie – Princess Beatrice’s sister – was engaged to Jack Brooksbank on 1st January 2018. Her ring seems to be inspired by her mother Sarah Ferguson’s engagement ring (see more about Sarah’s ring below). Since the rumour is that the couple designed the ring themselves, this is very likely to be the case. The unique gemstone in this ring is a padparadscha sapphire, and the ring’s band is made of gold.
Princess Eugenie and Mr. Jack Brooksbank were photographed earlier today following the announcement of their engagement. pic.twitter.com/ArYQIDeNZw
A padparadscha is a very rare type of sapphire. Its colour is a glowing blend of pink and yellow sapphire, creating a sparkling peachy colour. The main gemstone in Eugenie’s ring is surrounded by 10 round diamonds, plus it is flanked by two pear-shaped diamonds that sit on the ring’s “shoulders” on the band. Padparadscha sapphires are very rare and extremely expensive. We estimate the ring’s value to be around £75K-£100K.
If you want to emulate Princess Eugenie’s style – but don’t quite have the budget for a padparadscha – a pink sapphire ring with diamonds could be the perfect choice for you.
Get the look
3. Meghan Markle
Prince Harry’s engagement to actress Meghan Markle was made public in January 2017. Certainly, it was the biggest Royal announcement in terms of media coverage and worldwide attention since Prince William’s engagement to Kate Middleton. According to Prince Harry, it took him six months to design Meghan’s ring, which is a beautiful diamond trilogy design.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have chosen Alexi Lubomirski as their wedding photographer. He took their engagement photos last year. In the announcement from Kensington Palace, he says 'I could not be more thrilled or honoured to photograph this historic occasion.' #RoyalWeddingpic.twitter.com/7kZZop1Et6
The ring shows off a large centre stone with two smaller diamonds either side. We estimate the ring’s worth at £150K-£200K. The trilogy shape creates optimum sparkle, and represents the past, present and future. It is set in yellow gold, a classic metal, said by Harry to be Meghan’s favourite. Yellow gold is a particularly popular setting for diamonds, the yellow gold contrasting with the white, translucent colour of the stone for ultimate sparkle and shine.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after their engagement in 2017 ⏩ The Duke and Duchess of Sussex with their son in 2019 💙 pic.twitter.com/5eQh5EtmIE
The ring is made of up of one large diamond from Botswana, a place which is particularly special to the happy couple as it’s where they’ve both spent a lot of time together doing conservation work. Additionally, the two smaller stones either side of the ring are from Diana’s personal collection so that the couple could include her in their big day – and according to Harry, for his mother to be a part of their ‘crazy journey’. Thus Harry, much like his brother William, has paid a beautiful tribute to his late mother Diana. We estimate the ring’s value to be around £75K-£100K.
Get the look
4. Princess Diana / Kate Middleton
Princess Diana’s iconic 12-carat sapphire and diamond engagement ring now sits on the finger of Kate Middleton, following her marriage to Prince William in 2012. The ring is estimated to be worth over £300,000.
The beautiful ring was William’s way of continuing his mother’s legacy and keeping her very much at the heart of such a big milestone in his life. Beautifully encased by a halo of 14 glittering solitaire diamonds, this breathtaking ring caused a scandal at the time of Diana’s engagement: not having a more expensive, custom-made ring was unthinkable for a Royal engagement, and some newspapers went as far as calling it a ‘commoner’s ring’.
This did not stop Diana choosing the ring she really wanted. Being a fashion icon, her ring later went on to create a huge trend in gemstone engagement rings, revived again by Kate Middleton’s engagement to Prince William in 2010. And we like to think that if it’s good enough for Diana and Kate, it’s good enough for us! If diamonds aren’t your first choice, then a stunning sapphire is a superb, luxurious alternative for those looking for a less conventional ring. We estimate the ring’s current value to be around £200K-£250K.
Get the look
5. Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York
When Prince Andrew proposed to Sarah Ferguson in 1985, he chose a gorgeous Burmese ruby – allegedly – to match her vibrant red hair. The red ruby was surrounded by 10 sparkling diamonds in a floral style and set in stunning yellow gold.
Rubies make a fitting gemstone for engagement rings, especially for someone who is looking for a colourful, less conventional stone. Rubies, like sapphires, are also incredibly tough, almost as hard as diamonds. So their heirloom quality is well suited to engagement rings worn daily for a lifetime. We estimate the ring’s value to be anywhere between £75K-£125K.
Get the look
6. Queen Mother / Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall
Once belonging to the Queen Mother, Camilla’s enchanting engagement ring from Charles in 2005 is a beautiful family heirloom. The classic piece is a large, emerald cut diamond with baguette diamonds either side of the main stone, and set in platinum for ultimate luxury and durability.
It is one of the largest and most valuable of all the engagement rings worn by the Royal Family. The Art Deco design of this piece gives it a distinct vintage elegance, particularly suitable for someone looking for a classic yet eye-catching style of engagement ring. We estimate the ring to be worth approximately £300K-£350K.
(However, if you find it a little over your budget, click here for an alternative option that is also exceptionally beautiful in an Art Deco style.)
7. Princess Margaret
Inspired by her middle name, Rose, Princess Margaret’s eye-catching engagement ring has romantic rubies surrounded by smaller classic diamonds. It was designed by her future husband, Anthony Armstrong-Jones, to look like a rosebud.
Not only are rubies popular for their beauty and durability, making them an ideal gemstone for engagement rings. Their rich and vibrant colour is also synonymous with royalty and passion.
Get the look
8. Queen Elizabeth II
The late Queen’s beautiful 3-carat diamond engagement ring created headlines in 1947, when Prince Phillip of Greece and Denmark proposed to her. The ring showcased diamonds from Philip’s mother’s tiara, Princess Alice of Battenberg, as is customary in Royal Families.
Elizabeth II wearing her engagement ring, Wikipedia.com CreativeCommons
Phillip designed the round cut diamond ring himself. The large stone sitting between elegant side stones. The piece was set in platinum. Never going out of style, adorning royals and celebrities the world over, diamonds really are a girl’s best friend. They can provide a classic and timeless ring you’ll never want to take off. We estimate Her Majesty’s engagement ring’s worth to be about £100K-£150K.
Get the look
9. Wallis Simpson
Little could stop Edward, Prince of Wales from marrying the woman he loved – even abdicating the throne in 1937 to marry her and causing a huge scandal at the time. The lady in questions was none other than the US actress, Wallis Simpson.
Wallis Simpson wearing her engagement ring Wikipedia.com Public Domain
This is another show-stopping gemstone ring, yet despite the controversy surrounding Edward’s abdication and marriage, it surprisingly not one of the most famous of all the engagement rings of the British Royal Family. The staggering 19.77-carat emerald piece was made even more personal and romantic as Edward had the words, ‘We are ours now 27 x 36’, inscribed on the inside of the band. The numbers were shorthand for the date Edward proposed to Ms Simpson on October 27th, 1936.
Get the look
10. Queen Victoria
During her reign in the 19th Century, it was customary for a female monarch, due to her high status, to propose to her prospective fiancé. Queen Victoria’s engagement ring, by today’s standards, had a unique and somewhat curious design – a serpent.
Queen Victoria wearing her engagement ring Wikipedia.com Public Domain
It may seem like an unusual motif for a ring that represents love, but serpents at the time symbolised wisdom, loyalty and commitment. Victoria’s ring had a mix of emeralds, rubies and diamonds set in it. Unique and with personal meaning to her, it was vibrant and colourful, like her much-adored personality.
Get the look
SOLD OUT!
In conclusion, the best Royal Family engagement rings are…
If there’s one thing we can learn from these Royal jewellery pieces, it’s that the famous saying ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ could not be more fitting.
Ultimately, the Royal Family members do what everybody else does: they choose an engagement ring that suits their character and style, and a befitting representation of love. Looking to find your own perfect piece? Take a look at our engagement rings, and find the one that suits you.
Which is YOUR favourite of the engagement rings of the British Royal Family?
Image credits at footer of article*
The British Royal Family are known for their incredible jewels. With a vast amount of stunning family heirlooms, the Windsor dynasty is never stuck for sparkling accessories – engagement rings being no exception. Read on for our favourite engagement rings, and our experts’ suggestions on how to get the look for less.
1. Princess Beatrice
The most recent headline-making British Royal engagement was that of Princess Beatrice to property tycoon, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, announced on 26th September 2019. After a romance that’s lasted 11 months, Beatrice and Edoardo announced they are getting married in 2020.
Princess Beatrice’s ring is a diamond “sidestone ring”; a diamond solitaire in the centre with additional diamonds on each side of it. The centre stone is a round brilliant cut diamond, at around 3.5 carats – we estimate its cost to be around £100,000. The centre stone is displayed between baguette cut diamond sidestones, and the setting is probably made of platinum.
Get the look
2. Princess Eugenie
Princess Eugenie – Princess Beatrice’s sister – was engaged to Jack Brooksbank on 1st January 2018. Her ring seems to be inspired by her mother Sarah Ferguson’s engagement ring (see more about Sarah’s ring below). Since the rumour is that the couple designed the ring themselves, this is very likely to be the case. The unique gemstone in this ring is a padparadscha sapphire, and the ring’s band is made of gold.
A padparadscha is a very rare type of sapphire. Its colour is a glowing blend of pink and yellow sapphire, creating a sparkling peachy colour. The main gemstone in Eugenie’s ring is surrounded by 10 round diamonds, plus it is flanked by two pear-shaped diamonds that sit on the ring’s “shoulders” on the band. Padparadscha sapphires are very rare and extremely expensive. We estimate the ring’s value to be around £75K-£100K.
If you want to emulate Princess Eugenie’s style – but don’t quite have the budget for a padparadscha – a pink sapphire ring with diamonds could be the perfect choice for you.
Get the look
3. Meghan Markle
Prince Harry’s engagement to actress Meghan Markle was made public in January 2017. Certainly, it was the biggest Royal announcement in terms of media coverage and worldwide attention since Prince William’s engagement to Kate Middleton. According to Prince Harry, it took him six months to design Meghan’s ring, which is a beautiful diamond trilogy design.
The ring shows off a large centre stone with two smaller diamonds either side. We estimate the ring’s worth at £150K-£200K. The trilogy shape creates optimum sparkle, and represents the past, present and future. It is set in yellow gold, a classic metal, said by Harry to be Meghan’s favourite. Yellow gold is a particularly popular setting for diamonds, the yellow gold contrasting with the white, translucent colour of the stone for ultimate sparkle and shine.
The ring is made of up of one large diamond from Botswana, a place which is particularly special to the happy couple as it’s where they’ve both spent a lot of time together doing conservation work. Additionally, the two smaller stones either side of the ring are from Diana’s personal collection so that the couple could include her in their big day – and according to Harry, for his mother to be a part of their ‘crazy journey’. Thus Harry, much like his brother William, has paid a beautiful tribute to his late mother Diana. We estimate the ring’s value to be around £75K-£100K.
Get the look
4. Princess Diana / Kate Middleton
Princess Diana’s iconic 12-carat sapphire and diamond engagement ring now sits on the finger of Kate Middleton, following her marriage to Prince William in 2012. The ring is estimated to be worth over £300,000.
The beautiful ring was William’s way of continuing his mother’s legacy and keeping her very much at the heart of such a big milestone in his life. Beautifully encased by a halo of 14 glittering solitaire diamonds, this breathtaking ring caused a scandal at the time of Diana’s engagement: not having a more expensive, custom-made ring was unthinkable for a Royal engagement, and some newspapers went as far as calling it a ‘commoner’s ring’.
This did not stop Diana choosing the ring she really wanted. Being a fashion icon, her ring later went on to create a huge trend in gemstone engagement rings, revived again by Kate Middleton’s engagement to Prince William in 2010. And we like to think that if it’s good enough for Diana and Kate, it’s good enough for us! If diamonds aren’t your first choice, then a stunning sapphire is a superb, luxurious alternative for those looking for a less conventional ring. We estimate the ring’s current value to be around £200K-£250K.
Get the look
5. Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York
When Prince Andrew proposed to Sarah Ferguson in 1985, he chose a gorgeous Burmese ruby – allegedly – to match her vibrant red hair. The red ruby was surrounded by 10 sparkling diamonds in a floral style and set in stunning yellow gold.
Rubies make a fitting gemstone for engagement rings, especially for someone who is looking for a colourful, less conventional stone. Rubies, like sapphires, are also incredibly tough, almost as hard as diamonds. So their heirloom quality is well suited to engagement rings worn daily for a lifetime. We estimate the ring’s value to be anywhere between £75K-£125K.
Get the look
6. Queen Mother / Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall
Once belonging to the Queen Mother, Camilla’s enchanting engagement ring from Charles in 2005 is a beautiful family heirloom. The classic piece is a large, emerald cut diamond with baguette diamonds either side of the main stone, and set in platinum for ultimate luxury and durability.
It is one of the largest and most valuable of all the engagement rings worn by the Royal Family. The Art Deco design of this piece gives it a distinct vintage elegance, particularly suitable for someone looking for a classic yet eye-catching style of engagement ring. We estimate the ring to be worth approximately £300K-£350K.
Get the look
SOLD OUT!
(However, if you find it a little over your budget, click here for an alternative option that is also exceptionally beautiful in an Art Deco style.)
7. Princess Margaret
Inspired by her middle name, Rose, Princess Margaret’s eye-catching engagement ring has romantic rubies surrounded by smaller classic diamonds. It was designed by her future husband, Anthony Armstrong-Jones, to look like a rosebud.
Not only are rubies popular for their beauty and durability, making them an ideal gemstone for engagement rings. Their rich and vibrant colour is also synonymous with royalty and passion.
Get the look
8. Queen Elizabeth II
The late Queen’s beautiful 3-carat diamond engagement ring created headlines in 1947, when Prince Phillip of Greece and Denmark proposed to her. The ring showcased diamonds from Philip’s mother’s tiara, Princess Alice of Battenberg, as is customary in Royal Families.
Phillip designed the round cut diamond ring himself. The large stone sitting between elegant side stones. The piece was set in platinum. Never going out of style, adorning royals and celebrities the world over, diamonds really are a girl’s best friend. They can provide a classic and timeless ring you’ll never want to take off. We estimate Her Majesty’s engagement ring’s worth to be about £100K-£150K.
Get the look
9. Wallis Simpson
Little could stop Edward, Prince of Wales from marrying the woman he loved – even abdicating the throne in 1937 to marry her and causing a huge scandal at the time. The lady in questions was none other than the US actress, Wallis Simpson.
This is another show-stopping gemstone ring, yet despite the controversy surrounding Edward’s abdication and marriage, it surprisingly not one of the most famous of all the engagement rings of the British Royal Family. The staggering 19.77-carat emerald piece was made even more personal and romantic as Edward had the words, ‘We are ours now 27 x 36’, inscribed on the inside of the band. The numbers were shorthand for the date Edward proposed to Ms Simpson on October 27th, 1936.
Get the look
10. Queen Victoria
During her reign in the 19th Century, it was customary for a female monarch, due to her high status, to propose to her prospective fiancé. Queen Victoria’s engagement ring, by today’s standards, had a unique and somewhat curious design – a serpent.
It may seem like an unusual motif for a ring that represents love, but serpents at the time symbolised wisdom, loyalty and commitment. Victoria’s ring had a mix of emeralds, rubies and diamonds set in it. Unique and with personal meaning to her, it was vibrant and colourful, like her much-adored personality.
Get the look
SOLD OUT!
In conclusion, the best Royal Family engagement rings are…
If there’s one thing we can learn from these Royal jewellery pieces, it’s that the famous saying ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ could not be more fitting.
Ultimately, the Royal Family members do what everybody else does: they choose an engagement ring that suits their character and style, and a befitting representation of love. Looking to find your own perfect piece? Take a look at our engagement rings, and find the one that suits you.
Which is YOUR favourite of the engagement rings of the British Royal Family?
*Image credits for featured photo top of article, made up from four modified photos, CC Licenced, via Wikipedia.com. Clockwise from the far left: Queen Elizabeth II and Philip, 1950 by Unknown Flickr; top left: Meghan Markle by Northern Ireland Office, top right: Duchess of Cambridge by Northern Ireland Office, bottom: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, image by Kelvin Boyes.
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