With one of the most influential engagement rings in history, Kate Middleton is the inspo of brides around the world so let’s delve into this rings rich history and symbolism!
The Ring
The Princess of Wales’s engagement ring is a large sapphire cluster ring, featuring a whopping 12 carat oval-cut sapphire encircled with 14 diamonds. Crafted by famed British jeweller Garrard, they have chosen to use a Ceylon sapphire – a sapphire that hails from Sri Lanka, renowned for their rich colour and unparalleled beauty. At time of purchase, the ring cost around £47,000 but is now thought to be worth closer to £300,000 with it’s rich history!
History Behind The Ring
You probably already know but if you don’t Kate Middleton’s ring once belonged to the late Princess Diana! But did you know the ring was inspired by a brooch of the 1800s? Here’s the timeline:
1800s: Queen Victoria’s Brooch
In 1840, Prince Albert asked famed British jeweller Garrard to create a sapphire and diamond brooch as a gift for Queen Victoria ahead of their wedding. She loved the brooch so much we wore it as her ‘something blue’ on her wedding day and wore it until her death in 1861. The brooch became a crown heirloom, worn by many royal family members including Queen Elizabeth II.
The brooch was immortalised in this 1847 portrait of the Queen in her wedding dress by Franz Xaver Winterhalter. The sapphire brooch is pinned to the centre of her lace bodice, complimenting her striking blue eyes. The portrait resides as part of the Royal Collection Trust.
1981: Princess Diana’s Engagement Ring
Prince Charles presented Diana with multiple engagement rings before getting down on one knee – both family heirlooms and bespoke designs. One of the rings, crafted by Garrad, was inspired by his mother Queen Elizabeth II’s heirloom brooch, passed down from Queen Victoria.
Allegedly Lady Di selected the large sapphire ring as it was reminiscent of her own mother’s engagement ring, but some say she chose the ring as it matched her striking blue eyes. Reportedly the ring broke royal family tradition as it was not a bespoke design, meaning anyone could purchase Princess Diana’s sapphire ring.
1997: Princess Diana’s Sons Inherited The Ring
Prince Harry and William inherited the sparkling sapphire after their mother princess Diana tragically died in 1997. Prince Harry has insisted in his personal memoir that his elder brother was, and always has been, the rightful heir to the ring, though Diana’s former butler and many other’s report that Harry had initially chosen the ring.
2010: Prince William Proposes to Kate Middleton
Prince William honoured his mother during his trip to Kenya in 2010, proposing to his long-term girlfriend of 9 years Kate Middleton. She debuted the ring in a perfectly coordinated blue dress and beaming smile.
During an interview the prince stated “It’s my mother’s engagement ring, so I thought it was quite nice because, obviously, she’s not going to be around to share in any of the fun and excitement of all this,” he said. “This is my way of keeping her sort of close to it all.”
The Symbolism of The Ring
The sapphire has widely been associated with wisdom, loyalty and protection. For centuries, nobility and royalty adorned themselves with sapphires, believing in their protective powers and their ability to bring good fortune. The deep blue hue of the stone became so closely linked with monarchy that it earned the name “royal blue.”
The Ceylon sapphire is prized for it’s vibrant colouring, and extremely rare, especially untreated stones which are thought to make up just 1% of the market.
In ancient times, the sapphire was seen as a symbol of divine favour, worn by may clerics and rules in symbolism of their connection to higher powers. Today, the sapphire is associated with more romantic connotations, love and protection and strength in unity.
Kate’s Wedding Ring Stack
As the new Princess of Wales, Kate has made some obvious adjustments including ring resizing and the addition of sizing balls, to help stabilise the large ring on the finger.
On their wedding day in 2011, Kate added a gold wedding band to her left ringer, crafted from Welsh gold – a engagement gift from the Queen in hour of their new title. After the birth of their first son, Prince George, she was gifted a white gold and diamond eternity ring – a traditional ‘push present’ symbolising everlasting and eternal love.
Princess of Wales’ Additional Rings
At the 2024 Olympics Kate showed off an antique Victorian ring, thought to be a promise ring given to Kate when the couple first began dating. The ring is set with both of the couple’s birthstones – garnet for January born Kate and pearl for June birthday William. The gypsy ring is perfect for everyday wear, and symbolic of his commitment before proposal.
The princess underwent chemotherapy following news of her cancer diagnosis in 2024. In a video announcement of the end of her treatment fans spotted a new addition to her accumulating ring stack – a diamond and sapphire eternity band. It’s thought that this ring is to honour the late Princess Diana, having swapped the large engagement ring out for safe keeping. Instead, she now wears a 4-ring stack; her Welsh wedding band, diamond eternity ring, promise ring and new sapphire addition.
To find you dream Kate Middleton engagement ring check out our sapphire and diamond cluster ring collection, dating back in time!
