Prince Harry initially inherited Princess Diana's sapphire engagement ring after her death, but he selflessly gave it to his brother Prince William to propose to Kate Middleton, ensuring their mother's iconic jewel remained within the family for a significant royal union. While widely believed Harry gave it as a tender gesture, he later stated in his memoir Spare that William had actually requested it first, and Harry was happy to let him have it, refuting the myth of a selfless gift.
Diana was wearing a ring given to her by Dodi Fayed when she died. It was a £3,000 Bulgari yellow gold band with diamonds. The diamond band set in yellow gold was not an engagement ring and was worn on the fourth finger of her right hand, where her butler Paul Burrell advised her to wear it.
Meghan Markle's jewelry collection includes several heirloom pieces from the late Princess of Wales. The Duchess of Sussex wore Diana's iconic "divorce ring" to her 2018 wedding reception, for example. She has since stepped out in earrings, bracelets, and necklaces that once belonged to her late mother-in-law.
Love apparently blessed Princess Diana in her final hours. A Paris jeweler says he created a $200,000 diamond ring that Dodi Fayed gave to Diana during dinner Saturday night at the Ritz Hotel, just before they both died in a car crash.
The Ring's Legacy
Despite the initial controversy, Diana continued to wear the engagement ring even after her divorce from Prince Charles in 1996. Following her tragic death, the ring was inherited by her eldest son, Prince William, who used it to propose to Kate Middleton in 2010.
As Maxwell Stone told Express, Camilla has worn and redesigned several pieces over the years that were “once loved by Princess Diana,” causing “quite a lot of controversy” by doing so.
I omitted obey from my vows.
The ring may be the most well-known piece Middleton inherited from Diana via her husband, but it's far from the only one she's worn. She's also donned earrings, tiaras, necklaces, and bracelets which were once beloved by the People's Princess—a noted jewelry aficionado in her lifetime.
She loved wearing brands, which included Chanel. However, the then Princess of Wales stopped wearing Chanel following her divorce. Apparently, the label's logo, the double interlocking C's, reminded her of the betrayal she had by Prince Charles because of his then-affair with Camilla Parker Bowles.
Care and Value of the Heirloom
Kate's engagement ring is estimated to be worth around £300,000 to £400,000, though its historical value is priceless. The Duchess likely takes great care to maintain the ring's condition, as it's an irreplaceable piece.
She hugged her nephew and handed him a brightly wrapped package along with an envelope. Inside the package was the Sony PlayStation he had wanted for his 13th birthday Harry opened the card slowly. It read: Happy Birthday Harry!
Meghan Markle revealed she experienced postpartum preeclampsia, a rare and serious medical condition involving high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine after childbirth, which she described as a "huge medical scare". She shared this personal health battle on her podcast, highlighting the challenges of managing a life-threatening condition while navigating new motherhood privately, an experience she shares with Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd.
Of course others would have got some of the Queen's privately owned pieces but the pieces the Queen wore for official occasions Catherine got. The Queen admired Catherine. Jane Cox apparently not them all as was originally reported . Princess Anne , Camilla , Sophie and even Charlotte have inherited certain pieces .
"My God, what's happened?" she asked moments before going into cardiac arrest. Diana was later pronounced dead at Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris. Speaking to The Sun, Gourmelon recalled what happened on that tragic night. "I massaged her heart and a few seconds later she started breathing again.
It has not been seen or exhibited since, and now belongs to Prince William and Prince Harry. Though unconfirmed, many speculate Meghan Markle's engagement ring, which she first wore in November 2017 at her engagement announcement with Prince Harry, includes two diamonds from Diana's famous sapphire and pearl choker.
Emad El-Din Mohamed Abdel Mena'em "Dodi" Fayed (/ˈfaɪ.ɛd/ FY-ed; 15 April 1955 – 31 August 1997) was an Egyptian film producer and the eldest child of the businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed. He was romantically involved with Diana, Princess of Wales, when they both died in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997.
Princess Margaret didn't bow to Princess Diana's coffin at her funeral primarily due to a deep-seated resentment stemming from Diana's 1995 tell-all Panorama interview, which Margaret saw as a severe betrayal of the Royal Family and the Queen; Margaret never forgave Diana for publicly airing grievances and challenging royal decorum, viewing her as a disloyal figure, leading to her snub during the funeral procession despite their initially warm relationship.
Queen Camilla transformed a necklace gifted to Princess Diana into a stunning $134,000 brooch with royal significance. Originally part of Queen Alexandra's 1863 collection, the necklace was a wedding gift from the Queen Mother to Diana.
The 3-3-3 clothing rule is a simple styling method for creating many outfits from few items: choose 3 tops, 3 bottoms, and 3 shoes, which allows for 27 potential combinations (3x3x3) and reduces decision fatigue, often used for travel or building a minimalist capsule wardrobe. It's a versatile concept, sometimes expanded to include 3 layers (like jackets or cardigans) for even more looks, making dressing easier by focusing on mix-and-match versatility with core pieces.
Yes, Prince William and Kate Middleton sleep in the same bed, often with their dog Orla, a revelation Prince William shared, highlighting a more modern, relatable approach to royal life compared to past generations who sometimes used separate beds for status or privacy. While they have separate bedrooms for some downtime and might use separate beds when traveling on the royal train due to its layout, their usual arrangement at home is together, with their dog as a regular bedfellow.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh (then Sophie Rhys-Jones) did not attend Princess Diana's funeral in 1997, reportedly because her strong resemblance to Diana would have been too upsetting for the grieving crowds, a decision made thoughtfully by Sophie herself. At the time, she was dating Prince Edward, but they were not yet engaged or married.
In these moments, Diana would often keep her chin tucked and her head slightly down, making it harder for the photographers to get a clear shot. This subtle act helped her regain some control over her public image and shielded her from the overwhelming exposure that came with being part of the royal family.
According to The Associated Press, Diana referred to Prince Philip as "Dearest Pa" in letters from 1992, and the duke offers to help try to patch up her marital problems.
So what I say to you now, as your Queen and as a grandmother, I say from my heart. First, I want to pay tribute to Diana myself. She was an exceptional and gifted human being. In good times and bad, she never lost her capacity to smile and laugh, nor to inspire others with her warmth and kindness.