Princess Diana vs. Kate Middleton: Who Wore the Iconic 12-Carat Sapphire Engagement Ring the Longest?
Princess Diana was gifted an engagement ring by then-Prince Charles in 1981 that became one of the most iconic statement pieces in royal history. Its legacy continues as Kate Middleton now wears the 12-carat sapphire. But who wore the stunning royal ring the longest?
Princess Diana wore her engagement ring from her engagement through her 1997 death
In 1981, Prince Charles, 32, proposed marriage to Diana Spencer, 19. They were a couple for six months before announcing their engagement on Feb. 24, 1981.
Instead of presenting Diana with a ring upon asking her to marry him, Charles wanted Diana to make her own selection. He gave her a catalog from the Crown Jeweler, Garrard, which reportedly upset his mother, Queen Elizabeth because it meant the royal bauble was not custom designed and created with a royal heirloom.
She decided upon a 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire set in 18-carat white gold, surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds. In 1981, the piece was valued at $37,500.
Diana reportedly picked that ring for two unique reasons. First, it matched her blue eyes and second, it reminded her of her mother Frances Shayd Kidd’s engagement ring from her father John Spencer.
Diana continued to wear this stunning jewelry piece even after divorcing then-Prince Charles in 1996. After her death in August 1997, the ring was inherited by Prince Harry, who ultimately gave Princess Diana’s heirloom to his brother when Prince William proposed marriage to his longtime girlfriend, Kate Middleton, in 2010. Diana wore the ring for a total of 16 years.
Prince William places Diana’s ring on Kate Middleton’s finger
Prince William began dating Kate Middleton in 2003 after meeting two years prior. The press knew Kate was William’s serious girlfriend for many years.
However, due to William’s resistance to making their relationship official, the press dubbed her “Waitey Katie.” After breaking up briefly in 2007, William and Kate rekindled their romance.
During a trip to Kenya William ultimately placed Princess Diana’s ring on Kate’s finger. In a post-engagement interview with ITV in November 2010, Prince William shared how he took extra special care of his late mother’s ring.
“I had been carrying it [the ring] around with me in my rucksack for about three weeks. I literally would not let it go, everywhere I went I was keeping hold of it, ’cause I knew this thing, if it disappeared I’d be in a lot of trouble,” he said.
The couple married in April 2011. Kate Middleton has worn the royal family heirloom for 14 years.
The 1 striking similarity in Princess Diana and Kate Middleton’s engagement interviews
Kate Middleton and Princess Diana shared one striking similarity when they officially met the press for their engagement interviews. The resemblance was very obvious.
Both women wore blue outfits. Each picked the hue to match the color of the statement ring.
To meet the press for the first time, Princess Diana wore a cobalt blue suit from Cojana. She purchased the outfit at Harrods for her photocall at Buckingham Palace.
Express reports that Claudia Joseph, author of Diana: A Life in Dresses said the suit “wasn’t necessarily the most elegant of outfits.” Underneath Diana wore a white blouse with a bow-tie style neckline made by designers David and Elizabeth Emanuel.
The couple would go on to design Diana’s debut outfit as Charles’s bride-to-be, a black ballgown with a plunging neckline. The couple also created Diana’s iconic wedding gown.
As for Kate Middleton, she chose a sapphire blue Issa wrap dress for a press photocall with Prince William at St. James Palace. Middleton paired the wrap dress with her engagement ring, a Sapphires by the Yard necklace and earrings, and black pumps. The dress subsequently sold out within hours of Kate’s first official interview.
