Royal Family engagement announcements prompt huge national interest, with royal fans always desperate to catch a glimpse of a new royal engagement ring. Many of the royal engagement rings of recent decades have featured centre stones of rubies and sapphires. But when the Queen’s youngest son Prince Edward proposed to Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999, he opted for a more traditional diamond ring for his future bride.
Sophie and Edward had been dating for several years before Buckingham Palace announced the couple had got engaged.
The couple married in a fairytale wedding at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle on June 19, 1999, and subsequently were given the titles of Earl and Countess of Wessex by the Queen.
A whopping 200 million viewers tuned in to watch Prince Edward’s royal wedding, where Sophie wore a beautiful Samantha Shaw dress and a breath-taking tiara borrowed from Queen Elizabeth’s private collection.
Prince Edward is the only royal of his generation not to get a divorce and his engagement ring choice was an excellent pick.
Sophie is often snapped wearing her engagement ring today, and the sparkler features three diamonds set in white gold.
The centre stone is an oval-cut diamond, which is romantically flanked by two heart-shaped diamonds.
Sophie’s engagement ring is reportedly worth a staggering £105,000.
She often wears her engagement ring alongside her traditional Welsh gold wedding band.
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The Earl of Wessex chose this classic, all-diamond ring when he proposed to Sophie as he wanted a “classic and romantic design”.
The ring is set in 18-carat white gold and looks simply elegant on the Countess.
Jaimie Mackey, a wedding reporter for Brides, said: “The silhouette of the ring is totally classic, and those heart-shaped stones are a sweet, romantic addition.”
The couple have since become parents to two children: Lady Louise Windsor, born in 2003, and James, Viscount Severn, born in 2007.
But Diana was known to adore the sapphire and diamond sparkler, and it now belongs to her daughter-in-law, Kate.
William proposed with the ring while the couple were on holiday in Kenya, and many royal fans were delighted that Diana was remembered on the couple’s special day.
Fiona Wellington, gem and jewellery buyer and co-director and co-designer at Myne London previously told Express.co.uk: “Diana’s most well-known piece was undoubtedly her 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire and diamond ring now wonderfully worn again by Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, which symbolised to them both Diana’s presence in their celebrations.”
Due to the incredible sentimental value, the Royal Family is unlikely to ever part with the stunning ring, but it holds great value.