Ever wondered what it’s really like to marry a prince? It all looks like a fairy tale in Netflix movies … but in real life, well, reality kicks in. And we’re not just talking about the tons of royal dress code rules you have to follow once you’re officially part of “The Firm.” Or the millions of royal fans around the world who watch and love (or judge) your every step. It actually all starts way before you’ve made it to the altar.
Take the engagement ring. It’s not simply a pretty piece a prince picks out and hopes his bride-to-be will love. Even if the couple chooses the ring together, there’s a lot more behind it. And sometimes, it seems, the engagement ring can leave a future princess cringing. According to a royal insider, one bride even went as far as to call hers gaudy!
So what’s the story behind this ring that didn’t leave the best first impression? Read on to find out.
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Which royal bride called her engagement ring gaudy?
Princess Diana! According to Paul Burrell, her former butler, Diana was anything but thrilled about the sapphire cluster ring from Garrard that Charles put on her finger when he proposed in early 1981.
“As she later told me: ‘I would never have chosen something quite so gaudy. If I had the chance again, it would be more elegant and simple,'” Burrell writes in his book A Royal Duty. The bride-to-be, just 19 at the time and probably already all too familiar with royal etiquette rules, didn’t “want to appear rude and ungrateful,” he claims, so she accepted the piece the royal family had chosen for her—and only voiced her honest opinion behind closed doors.
How did Charles pick out her ring?
“A selection of diamonds and sapphires was set on a tray for—oddly—the queen’s perusal,” Burrell claims. “Once the monarch had made her choice, [Charles] gave his approval. Lady Diana was third in line to offer her opinion.” Let that sink for a second: The future mother-in-law had more say in the ring than the bride-to-be! That seems a bit extreme to us, even if someone marries the heir to the throne.
That being said, not everyone agrees with Burrell’s recollection of events. According to another story, Charles showed Diana a selection of Garrard rings and she picked her favorite: the now-famous ring featuring a 12-carat oval Ceylon blue sapphire and 14 diamonds. The stunner was inspired by a brooch Queen Victoria wore on her wedding day in 1840. While some claim the piece reminded Diana of her mother’s ring, others think she simply liked the blue color. Still others believe she just picked the largest ring. And in this version of events, the royals weren’t thrilled with her choice, as Diana’s favorite was an ordinary stock item rather than a bespoke piece.
It’s hard to tell which version of events is closest to the truth. But considering that the ring really is an eye-catcher (and that Diana kept wearing it even after her divorce—see below!), we’d like to believe that the Princess of Wales found it as gorgeous as we do.
What happened to Diana’s ring?
Kate wears it on her finger! When Kate and William got engaged in Kenya in October 2010, the prince surprised his bride-to-be not only with a sweet promise but also with his late mother’s ring. Talking to the press when the happy news was announced to the world, William said it was his way of ensuring that his mother “didn’t miss out on … the excitement.”
As for Diana, she wore her engagement ring throughout her marriage to Charles and also after the divorce in 1996 (the piece was part of the separation settlement). When she died in a tragic car crash in 1997, the ring was passed on to her sons, William and Harry. It’s not quite clear what happened afterward. For many years, it was reported that the ring was initially Harry’s but that William asked his brother for it when he was ready to get down on one knee. (He offered Harry their mom’s Cartier watch in return.) Harry, however, claims in his memoir, Spare, that William already owned the ring at that time.
Whatever really happened between the now-estranged brothers, Kate has been sporting Diana’s ring regularly ever since she received it, including during a Scotland trip in early 2026. Royal watchers have noticed, however, that she’s currently wearing it less in public than before her cancer diagnosis in 2024.
How much is the ring worth today?
According to Marie Claire, Diana’s—and now Kate’s—engagement ring jumped in value from £28,000 ($37,000) when Charles bought it in the early 1980s to around £350,000 to £450,000 ($400,000 to $600,000) in today’s money. That makes the piece a lot more precious than the late queen’s engagement ring, which is estimated at “just” £100,000 ($133,000). Considering the story behind the sapphire ring, and the fact that both Diana and Kate wore it, it seems safe to say that it’s a priceless piece.
Did other royal ladies get to pick their engagement rings?
Not that we know of, even though it’s possible that the brides-to-be expressed some wishes, of course. When Prince Philip proposed to Elizabeth, his future wife of more than 70 years, he designed the engagement ring himself, using pieces from a tiara that belonged to his mother, Princess Andrew of Greece.
King Charles’s longtime love Camilla, on the other hand, inherited her engagement ring, an elegant stunner with a 5-carat emerald-cut center stone and diamonds, from the late queen mother. Meanwhile, Harry took inspiration from his grandfather when he fell head over heels in love with Meghan Markle—and surprised her with a DIY ring featuring two stones that once belonged to his mother.
The most recent bride among the senior royals, Princess Eugenie, who shared some happy news recently, received a pink-orange sapphire ring hand-picked by her now husband, Jack Brooksbank.
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Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of stories on the British royal family, providing a behind-the-scenes look at the fascinating facets of the monarchy. We regularly cover topics including the latest royal news, the history and meaning behind time-honored traditions, and the everyday quirks of everyone’s favorite family members, from Queen Elizabeth’s daily snack to Prince William’s confessions about his home life. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- A Royal Duty by Paul Burrell
- Spare by Prince Harry
- Royal.uk: “His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton are engaged to be married”
- BBC: “Royal wedding: Prince William gives Kate Diana’s ring”
- British Vogue: “The true story behind the world’s most famous ring: Princess Diana’s engagement ring”
- US Vogue: “15 royal engagement rings guaranteed to make your jaw drop”
- Marie Claire: “Princess Kate and Princess Diana’s ‘extraordinary’ engagement ring is now worth 1,150% more than in the ’80s, per jewelry expert”
- Marie Claire: “Queen Camilla’s vintage engagement ring perfectly captures her ‘understated regal presence,’ says jewelry expert”
- Tatler: “The Princess of Wales’ engagement ring returns: Kate Middleton steps out in her sapphire for the first time this year”
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