With the Royal Wedding just around the corner, Ripe Insurance have taken a look back at the gorgeous collection of Royal Engagement rings past and present.
Did you know?
The average Carat of a royal engagement ring is 9.8 carat compared to the UK average of just 0.5 carat.
With an estimated value of £150,000 to £400,000, Meghan’s ring is now the most expensive royal engagement ring in history, in comparison to the UK average cost of £1,040.
One third of royal engagements happen abroad, most recently with Princess Eugenie getting engaged in Nicaragua.
July is the most popular month for royal weddings with famous royal couples such as Charles and Diana opting for a summer wedding.
Sentiment has always played a key part in the royals’ choice of ring, from Fergie’s red ruby chosen to match her fiery hair, to Harry’s tribute to Diana with the use of her diamonds in Meghan’s ring.
Sapphires
Sapphires have long been a favourite of the Royal Family. Queen Victoria’s love for this blue gem was well known, with Albert often buying her gifts that included them. Queen Elizabeth often wears a sapphire brooch passed down from Queen Victoria which was famously the inspiration for the sapphire engagement ring owned originally by Princess Diana and now Kate Middleton.
Princess Eugenie, the latest Royal to get engaged, ditched the traditional blue sapphire, instead opting for a padparadscha sapphire surrounded by diamonds. An incredibly rare gem, the padparadscha is a stone consisting of pink, orange and yellow and is found in Sri Lanka.
Diamonds
When Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip got engaged at Balmoral Castle in 1946, Phillip proposed with a square-cut diamond engagement ring flanked by diamond side stones. Showing his sentimental side, Phillip chose to use diamonds from one of his mother’s tiaras.
When Sophie Rhys-Jones got engaged to Prince Edward, her diamond engagement ring was thought to have been the most expensive royal engagement ring ever purchased. However, since the engagement of Meghan and Harry, Meghan’s jaw dropping jewel from Botsawana has now taken the crown for the most expensive royal ring.
Rubies
Talking about romance, Prince Andrew opted for a ruby when he proposed to Sarah Ferguson in homage to her fiery, red hair. Similarly, when Antony Armstrong-Jones proposed to Princess Margaret, he chose a ruby ring set in diamonds to create the look of a rosebud in honour of the Princess’ middle name Rose.
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