Kate Middleton married her prince in 2011, while Meghan was wed in 2018. Preowned jewellery and watch specialist Est1897 analysed the two royal engagement rings and explained why, despite their similarities, the Duchess of Cambridge comes out on top.
In the blog Engagement Ring Rich List, Est1897 stated: “Kate’s engagement ring is more expensive in comparison to Meghan’s.”
Previously the engagement ring of Princess Diana, Prince Charles reportedly spent £47,000 on the 12 carat Ceylon sapphire.
Nowadays, it is estimated that the stunning piece of jewellery is worth an eye-watering £390,000.
Meghan Markle’s ring was by no means cheap, valued at £134,500, but was not quite as expensive as Prince William’s gift to Kate.
However, both rings hold “sentimental value, as they honour Prince William’s late mother, Princess Diana”.
In the documentary The Diana Story, the Princess of Wales’s former butler Paul Burrell revealed just how Prince William got hold of his mother’s ring.
The two boys, aged just 15 and 12 at the time, each selected one piece of jewellery from their mother’s collection when she passed away, with Prince William opting for “mummy’s Cartier watch”, and Harry, her engagement ring.
But, in a sweet gesture of brotherly love, Harry allowed William to propose to Kate Middleton with their mother’s ring, as he would be the first to walk down the aisle.
Conversely, “Meghan’s engagement ring boasts a trilogy of stones, a stunning central diamond ethically sourced from Botswana, where the couple previously vacationed together.”
But of course, Prince Harry made a touching tribute to his mother when he proposed to Meghan.
“The beautiful stone is surrounded by two smaller diamonds, from Princess Diana’s collection. Tying her into her younger son’s engagement too.”
Est1897 advised that the “popular ring cuts of the rich and famous” are Emerald, Pear, Asscher and Oval.
Meghan’s ring is cushion cut, which Lumera Diamonds informed “combines a square cut with rounded corners, much like a pillow”.
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They added: “This classic cut has been around for almost 200 years, and for the first century of its existence was the most popular diamond shape.”
According to Brides, “the most popular diamond cut for engagement rings is round brilliant”.
The “quintessential sparklers” have an “outstanding light performance”, and their universal shape works “in an endless number of setting styles”.
Overall, what Prince William and Harry have in common is their desire to honour their mother.
But when it comes to an engagement ring “royal standoff”, the Duchess of Cambridge takes the crown with Diana’s heirloom.
Indeed, butler Paul Burrell reported that young Prince Harry would say: “I remember when I held mummy’s hand when I was a small boy and that ring always hurt me because it was so big.”