When Prince Charles proposed to Lady Diana Spencer in February 1981, she was given a selection of rings to choose from. She picked a striking oval sapphire of around 12 carats, surrounded by 14 diamonds and set in white gold. It was made by the royal jeweller Garrard.
The choice was not universally admired. The ring was reportedly available from the jeweller’s collection, meaning that in theory anyone with enough money could buy the same design. Some critics reportedly sniffed that it was not exclusive enough for a future queen. Diana loved it anyway.
She wore it throughout her marriage and even after her divorce. After her death in 1997, her personal jewellery passed to her sons, and the sapphire ring went to William.
William and Kate Middleton had met as students at the University of St Andrews in 2001. After almost a decade together, including a brief break-up in 2007, the world was waiting for a proposal.
In October 2010, the couple travelled to Kenya. During the trip, at a remote lake near Mount Kenya, William proposed. He later revealed that he had carried his mother’s ring in his rucksack for about three weeks, terrified of losing it.
The engagement was announced on 16 November 2010. When the couple appeared before the cameras, all eyes went to Kate’s hand. In their interview that day, William explained why he had chosen the ring. He said it was very special to him, and that giving it to Kate was his way of making sure his mother did not miss out on the day and the excitement.
The reaction was immediate. Jewellers around the world reported huge demand for copies of the ring. The design some had once dismissed became one of the most imitated engagement rings in history.
William and Kate married at Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011. Kate has worn the sapphire at countless royal occasions since, keeping a piece of Diana present at every chapter of her son’s life.