Kate Middleton’s $400,000 Engagement Ring and its ‘Unbreakable Connection to Throne’
Princess Diana’s famous sapphire engagement ring is well-known across the world. It made headlines again in 2010 when Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with it. Despite the fact that Kate and William did not announce their engagement until November of the same year, William disclosed that he proposed to Kate in October on a trip to Kenya.
They stayed at Rutundu Cabin, a magnificent spot beneath Mount Kenya. During their post-engagement interview, William said that he had been frightened of losing his mother’s sapphire and diamond engagement ring, which he had carried throughout Africa in his knapsack for over three weeks before proposing to Kate.
Kate is still spotted wearing Princess Diana’s previous blue sapphire engagement ring, which she wore when she married the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Westminster Abbey in 2011. In this one-of-a-kind exquisite ring, a 12-carat oval blue sapphire is encircled by 14 solitaire diamonds.
Alterations to the ring
They realized the ring would need to be adjusted when Prince William proposed and presented Kate with the magnificent sapphire from his late mother’s collection. The particular ring had to be altered for the Duchess since it was a touch too large, stated some reports. Kate and William went to G. Collins and Sons to get the ring resized.
The goal was achieved by reducing the diameter of the ring by inserting little platinum beads into it, which is why they did not have to break and resolder the band. The brilliant Sapphire stone and surrounding diamond halo—the two aspects that make this spectacular ring so unforgettable—would have been handled with extreme caution. Given that this ring formerly belonged to Prince William’s late mother, he and the Duchess of Cambridge would have taken great care not to harm it.
Princess Diana chose this ring herself, and it is said to have reminded her of her mother’s engagement ring, as well as matching her eyes. However, there might have been another factor at work. Diana was given a tray from Garrards carrying numerous possible engagement rings, per Stephen Barry, Charles’ valet at the time of his proposal to Diana. Diana went with the one that had the biggest stone, which was exactly as showy as her gown. It would have cost roughly £28,500 in 1981, as per The Court Jeweller.
At the time, it was considered an unusual move because the piece was not even a special creation; anybody could have strolled into the then-royal jeweler Garrard and purchased the exact piece. However, the design was inspired by a brooch worn by Queen Victoria on her wedding day in 1840 as her ‘something blue’ and a gift from Prince Albert, as has been explained in the accompanying para.
The royal family’s attachment to the ring
According to Vogue, the royal piece’s origins can be traced back to 1840, when Prince Albert commissioned a sapphire-and-diamond brooch for his future bride, Queen Victoria, from British jeweler Garrard. Sara Prentice, Garrard’s current creative director, tells the magazine that she discovered she loved it so much that she wanted to wear it on her wedding day as her ‘something blue’ on the front of her dress. The ring was so valuable to Queen Victoria that she wore it until her husband’s death in 1861.
Queen Elizabeth has worn Prince Albert’s exquisite wedding present on countless occasions, and it has become a royal treasure, including at the Royal Ascot in 2015. However, when it came to choosing a ring for his future bride, Prince Charles was inspired by the magnificent blue brooch. “It was said to be a strong influence on Prince Charles when he came to Garrard to purchase a ring for Lady Diana,” a source opined.
It is unknown whether Princess Diana kept the ring when she and Prince Charles divorced in 1996, but we do know it was passed down to her boys after she died.
Harry originally picked the ring for himself, according to her former butler Paul Burrell. In the Amazon documentary The Diana Story, the butler said: “[Harry said] 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. So I went to the safe and gave Harry Diana’s engagement ring.”
Harry chose to give the ring to his brother William. “Wouldn’t it be fitting if she [Kate Middleton] had mummy’s ring? Then one day that ring will be sat on the throne of England,” Harry reportedly told his brother.
The ring’s value today
Fast forward to today, the value has been said to be between £350,000 and £400,000 since becoming part of Kate’s collection. Kate currently wears the ring with her stunning Welsh gold wedding band.
Kate’s engagement ring, as reported by a fashion expert, demonstrates an “unbreakable tie” between her late mother-in-law and the throne. Her ensembles frequently pay homage to the late Princess of Wales. Her show-stopping outfit at the James Bond premiere, for example, was similar to one Diana wore at a 1985 James Bond premiere.
“Everything about Kate Middleton’s outfit on the night of the ‘No Time To Die’ premiere, emphasized her royalty,” a Design Bundles spokeswoman told Express.co.uk.
The source also stated how Kate’s attire was also enchantingly reminiscent of her mother-in-law Princess Diana’s appearance at another James Bond premiere, ‘A View to Kill,’ in 1985, in a show-stopping metallic gold gown. Princess Diana was never allowed to become Queen, but Kate’s homage, together with the fact that she wears Diana’s engagement ring as her own, ensures Diana’s unbroken tie to the monarchy.
The queen-to-be
Kate’s gold metallic gown, adorned with thousands of sparkling sequins and draping the gown’s architectural shoulders with a cloak reminiscent of a Greek goddess, may have been the first time many of us realized we were looking at the future Queen Consort of England, which she will become after Prince William ascends the throne.
Kate had accessorized her gold ensemble with sparkling, circular Onitaa earrings and had her mane swept into an intricate, glossy updo. This combination made a clear and powerful statement to the world at the night, stressing that she is more than capable of the greater responsibility that will be placed upon her as the Queen begins to rest more from royal duties.