All About Princess Diana's Engagement Ring (Which Is Now Worn By Kate Middleton!)

When then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana announced their engagement 44 years ago, each eyes were connected her 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire ring.

The couple, who had been making love for six months, made their charismatic engagement announcement via nan Lord Chancellor astatine 11 a.m. connected Feb. 24, 1981. The aforesaid day, nan mates were interviewed by nan BBC, wherever Charles said that he was "delighted and frankly amazed" that Diana was prepared to return him on.

Prince Charles and Diana wed connected July 29, 1981. The brace ultimately divorced in 1996, conscionable 1 twelvemonth up of Diana's untimely death. Her sapphire ringing was inherited by her youngest son, Prince Harry, who yet offered it to his older brother, Prince William, earlier he proposed to Kate Middleton pinch it successful 2010.

Though royals person often favored sapphires, Diana's engagement ringing wasn't custom-made, which went against royal tradition. However, nan ringing has go 1 of nan astir iconic and priceless pieces of royal jewelry.

From picking her ringing retired of a catalog to its ongoing legacy, present are each nan specifications connected Princess Diana's engagement ring.

Princess Diana's engagement ringing was worthy $37,500

Many royals often repurpose heirloom gems to create one-of-a-kind engagement rings. Prince Philip utilized diamonds from a tiara belonging to his mother, Princess Alice of Greece, for Queen Elizabeth's engagement ringing backmost successful 1947. In 2017, Prince Harry utilized 2 stones from Diana's individual jewelry postulation to create Meghan Markle's engagement ring.

Prince Charles and Diana, however, went against this long-standing contented by choosing an engagement ring from jeweler Garrard's catalog. Since nan ringing was from a banal collection, members of nan nationalist could besides perchance acquisition nan piece.

The now-iconic ring features a 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire group successful 18-carat achromatic golden and is surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds. When Charles projected to Diana successful 1981, nan portion was weighted astatine $37,500.

According to Garrard, while nan ringing was not bespoke, its creation was inspired by a brooch Prince Albert commissioned for his bride-to-be, Queen Victoria, successful 1840. The portion featured a ample sapphire surrounded by 12 information diamonds and was group successful gold. Queen Victoria reportedly loved nan portion truthful overmuch that she wore it connected her wedding day, fastening it to nan beforehand of her wedding gown arsenic her "something blue."

After Victoria died successful 1901, nan brooch was declared an heirloom of nan crown. The precocious Queen Elizabeth later wore nan brooch various times during her reign.

Diana's 19th-century-inspired ringing was 1 of galore that Charles selected to beryllium presented to nan Princess of Wales astatine Windsor Castle successful mentation for nan proposal. Charles chose to see nan sapphire and gem ringing successful nan postulation because it reminded him of nan brooch he often saw his mother and grandma wear.

Princess Diana reportedly picked nan sapphire ringing because it matched her bluish eyes.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana announced their engagement connected Feb. 24, 1981

In early February 1981, Charles popped nan question to his bride-to-be aft six months of dating.

The engagement, which was kept a concealed from nan world for 3 weeks, was yet announced to nan nationalist connected Feb. 24, 1981, pinch a general announcement by nan palace. "It is pinch nan top pleasance that nan Queen and nan Duke of Edinburgh denote nan betrothal of their beloved boy nan Prince of Wales to nan Lady Diana Spencer, girl of Earl Spencer and nan Honourable Mrs. Shand Kydd," nan connection read.

After their engagement was made public, nan mates posed for photos extracurricular Buckingham Palace earlier speaking pinch nan BBC for a associated engagement interview. Diana wore a cobalt bluish skirt suit from Harrods that complemented nan vivid colour of her caller engagement ring.

"I asked Diana earlier she went to Australia," Charles told nan BBC of nan proposal. "Two aliases 3 days before. I thought it would beryllium a bully thought ... if she went to Australia she could past deliberation astir it, and if she didn't for illustration nan thought she could opportunity she didn't, aliases if she did, she could opportunity that."

Diana later shared that saying "yes" was nan evident choice. "I had a agelong clip to deliberation astir it because I knew nan unit was connected some of us," she said. "It wasn't a difficult determination successful nan end. It's what I wanted. It's what I want."

During this interview, Charles besides made his infamous remark astir nan meaning of love. When asked if nan mates were successful love, Diana replied sheepishly, "Of course," while Charles said, "Whatever successful emotion means." The Princess of Wales later said this remark "traumatized" her.

Prince William projected to Kate Middleton pinch Princess Diana's engagement ringing successful 2010

Following Princess Diana's decease successful 1997, Prince William and Prince Harry inherited her jewelry collection. In 2010, William utilized his mother's ringing to propose to Kate while connected picnic successful Africa.

In a post-engagement question and reply pinch ITV successful November 2010, Prince William shared really he took other typical care of his precocious mother's ringing earlier proposing. "I had been carrying it [the ring] astir pinch maine successful my rucksack for astir 3 weeks ... I virtually would not fto it go, everyplace I went I was keeping clasp of it, 'cause I knew this thing, if it vanished I'd beryllium successful a batch of trouble," he said.

In a subtle tribute to Princess Diana's engagement announcement outfit, Kate chose a bluish Issa dress that matched nan ringing for her associated question and reply pinch William. The sentimental prime only made nan infinitesimal moreover much special, pinch William explaining why nan sapphire portion was truthful adjacent to his heart.

"It's my mother's engagement ring, truthful I thought it was rather bully because obviously, she's not going to beryllium astir to stock immoderate of nan nosy and excitement of it each — this was my measurement of keeping her benignant of adjacent to it all," he said.