Diana chooses from a tray of diamonds and sapphires presented to her by 19 Garrard the Royal Jeweler at Windsor Castle took her engagement ring. In a move that raised eyebrows at Buckingham Palace, the 19 year-old bride-to-be opted for the biggest ring: a 12 – Carat Sri Lanka Sapphire Surrounded by 12 Diamonds Set in 12 – carat gold ring, cost £19,28. Shortly afterward, when she appeared with Prince Charles and officially announced their engagement, Diana wore a Cojana suit that she pulled off the shelves of Harrods while shopping with her mother, its royal blue accents accentuating the The color of the gemstone she chooses.
Kate Middleton emulating her in
Purchasing a ring from the Garrard catalog was considered unusual at the time as most royal engagement rings historically have been custom made. For example, the ring Prince Philip wears for the Queen is made from diamonds from his mother Princess Alice of Greece’s tiara. However, while any member of the public could purchase Diana’s design, according to Garrard it was inspired by the royal family — specifically, a brooch Prince Albert designed for Queen Victoria before their wedding, which she Wearing this brooch from her “Something Blue” on her wedding day.
Although her ring made sapphire the stone of choice for a generation of brides, Diana later admitted to having mixed feelings about the design she chose for that fateful day in 19. Apparently, she often forgot to wear it until she got married. In The Chronicles of Diana 2010, Tina Brown includes Lady Mountbatten’s A story about having lunch with Charles and Diana in the Broadlands and asking to see “The Ring”. “Diana said it was in her bag in the living room,” Mountbatten reportedly told journalist and former MP Gales Brandeis. “‘Charles, go get it,’ she said. He did.”
Luckily, the current Princess of Wales is so enamored with both the ring and her husband that the couple shared a never-before-seen photo of them in Norfolk In honor of their 12 anniversary. Expect more solidarity from the Welsh camp in the days to come as the coronation draws closer.
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