Every royal devotee knows that Kate Middleton’s engagement ring has sentimental value, but the ring caused controversy for Princess Diana.
Every royal devotee knows that Kate Middleton’s engagement ring has major sentimental value as it once belonged to Prince William’s mother Princess Diana. But not everyone may know about the controversial stir the ring caused at the time before Middleton began wearing it.
Royals Were Not A Fan Of The Sapphire Stone
According to Harper’s Bazaar, many of the more conservative, traditional royals actually disliked the 12-karat stunner when Diana picked it out. It’s not because it was blue, or anything to do with the ring’s design actually. It’s more about how it became Diana’s ring. The Daily Mail reports that the white gold-and-diamond (14 of them, to be exact) ring, which features a now instantly recognizable Ceylon sapphire, was featured in jewelry house Garrard’s catalog.
Diana selected the Ceylon sapphire stone set in white gold that has since become iconic. The beautiful ring was inspired by the sapphire and diamond brooch that was made for Prince Albert in 1840. Here’s where the controversy comes in—the ring was a “stock item.”
Meaning? It wasn’t bespoke and anyone with enough money could buy exactly the same ring. Because it wasn’t custom-made or commissioned by the royal family and it was available to the general public, the House of Windsor felt that it was just too common.
Kate Middleton Gushes Over The Sentimental Ring
“Crown jeweler Garrard featured the piece in its catalog,” the Daily Mail wrote. Diana chose the ring herself, which may have been one more reason the conservative royals didn’t like it. Clearly, Diana didn’t care about this one bit. She loved the ring and continued to wear it after her divorce from Charles in 1996.
But that fact alone makes it all the more special to Middleton. When asked about the sapphire stunner in 2010, she gushed about how much she loved the symbolic ring. During the interview, she said, “It’s beautiful — I hope I look after it! It’s very special.”
It’s sweet to think about how this little piece of jewelry holds so much meaning to Kate and William, and it’s clear that history has been rewritten when it comes to this particular piece. Prince William himself also shared how much this ring meant to him. According to OK!, William said it was his “way of keeping her close to it all.” Who knows, it’s possible little Princess Charlotte could be getting the beautiful stone next, adding more significance and story to the valuable family heirloom.