Kate Middleton’s engagement ring is one of our most iconic and high-profile jewelry features. We investigated all the details about one of the most celebrated British royal jewels in this special report.
We also got in touch with Estate Diamond Jewelry for an EXCLUSIVE phone call about how much it’s worth. Click here to see their analysis.
Hot Details on the Princess Kate Middleton Engagement Ring
The Kate Middleton engagement ring is a royal stunner of premium specs. It features a north-to-west-oriented, 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire stone. Around its central gem are 14 solitaire diamonds, in an alternating pattern with small prongs in between, creating a flower-like arrangement, crowned on top of an 18k white gold band.
The History of Princess Kate Middleton’s Engagement Ring
Kate Middleton’s engagement ring is a story of connections and destiny. It has a lineage that reaches the 1800s era British royalty.
The first design concept of the ring was from Prince Albert, who commissioned a sapphire and diamond brooch for Queen Victoria. The brooch looks very similar to Kate’s ring, an oval sapphire surrounded by diamonds, except it has an east-to-west orientation.
The Queen also had a sapphire and diamond coronet. The Prince later gave her a snake design ring with an emerald, rubies, and diamonds, which later became their engagement ring.
Queen Victoria wore her coronet and brooch at Prince Albert’s funeral in 1861, symbols of their forever love. She later included the brooch as one of the heirloom crown jewels of British royalty. Generations of the royal family treasured and passed on the luxury family jewelry.
The Back Story of Princess Diana’s Ring
In 1981, (then Prince) King Charles III was looking for engagement rings to present to his fiancée, Princess Diana. He consulted the top UK jeweler, House of Garrard, for a number of choices.
There, the King saw a sapphire oval ring with a halo of diamonds. The jeweler modeled it from the Queen’s famous heirloom sapphire and diamond brooch. He had it included in the selection.
Princess Diana ended up choosing this magnificent ring. She liked how it matched her blue eyes.
Due to strict royal customs, the couple’s actions and the ring itself were highly criticized by members of the royal family. It was a custom-made piece that the public could also buy, and she chose. Both actions broke customary tradition in the royal family.
After she passed away, her jewelry became an inheritance for her husband and family. King Charles presented them to their sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, who took the sapphire engagement ring and gold Cartier watch, respectively.
However, Harry later selflessly gave up the heirloom ring to William to propose to Kate.
How Much is the Ring?
The Wedding Scoop spoke with our contact person, GIA-certified gemologist Benjamin Khordipour, of NYC’s trusted Estate Diamond Jewelry, to assess this ring. He places the value of the Kate Middleton engagement ring at more than $500,000.
In the 80s, Prince Charles purchased it for around $38,000. However, jewelers today consider it priceless for its history and timeless, elegant design.
The ring price and value continue to increase in value, not just for its historical importance, but also for its mesmerizing beauty, elegance, and composition. In addition to its precious sapphire, diamonds, and white gold, is the precision work of Garrard that makes it a valuable ensemble.
Princess Kate Middleton and Prince William’s Love Story
Kate Middleton and Prince William started out as friends when they met at the University of St Andrews in Scotland in 2001. They became friends over common interests such as their love for the outdoors, swimming, sports, and also photography and the arts.
By 2002, they had become roommates with a couple of their friends in a 4-bedroom, off-campus apartment in 13A Hope Street. They were in their second year of Uni, and would later make a romantic turn a year later, when they moved out to live together.
Despite April Fool’s Day, the couple made their relationship public on April 1, 2004.
Their relationship became a little weathered over the years, and the couple experienced disagreements over career changes and time for each other. Their publicized split in early 2007 was a major pivotal moment. They gave each other the necessary space to heal and assess their relationship.
The Prince reflected on it when he spoke with ITV News years later, saying, “We did split up for a bit, but that was just, we were both very young, it was at university, and we were both sort of defining ourselves as such and being different characters and stuff. It was very much trying to find our own way, and we were growing up.”
Queen Elizabeth already liked Kate, and she later spoke to her son post-breakup during a catch-up lunch. She spoke about having faith in the relationship. The couple reconnected two months later and rekindled their relationship
Prince William’s Proposal and Wedding
Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton on October 20, 2010. They were in a cabin hut beside Mount Kenya during their African trip. There, Prince William popped the question with the iconic, much-storied ring, fit for a Queen. It was a resounding yes.
The Prince beamed about it on ITV News, saying, “It was about three weeks ago, on holiday in Kenya. We had a little private time away together with some friends, and I just decided that it was the right time, really. We’d been talking about marriage for a while, so it wasn’t a massively big surprise, but I took her up somewhere nice in Kenya, and I proposed.”
After the lovely proposal, the couple wanted to tell it to their closest loved ones. Kate remembered her dad knowing after Prince William told him, but they were not sure if her mum already knew.
She told ITV News, “I think, as any mother would be, she was absolutely over the moon. We had quite an awkward situation because I knew, and I knew that William had asked my father, but I didn’t know if my mother knew. But it was amazing to tell, and obviously, she was very happy for us.”
Buy Similar Rings
Kate Middleton’s engagement ring may be a stock Gerrard from decades ago, but its lore and royal lineage make it one-of-a-kind and a historical royal jewel.
You can have the same royal look and ring design with these similar rings that won’t break the bank. You can also have these similar designs made into your special custom ring.
1. Wharton Ring
Almost identical to the Kate Middleton engagement ring, this Wharton Ring from Estate Diamond Jewelry centers a 5.93 carat natural oval sapphire surrounded by a flower halo of 12 brilliant-cut diamonds with a total carat weight of 2.06 carats. It sits on a platinum band with a low-profile setting for a comfort fit.
The sapphire comes with a GIA certification. It comes from Madagascar, heated for maximum color quality.
2. Oval Sapphire Engagement Ring by Allurez
This is a streamlined variation of the royal ring by Allurez with the same stone combination and look, albeit in a uniform oval with streamlined edges. It doesn’t use the flower imagery of the original, opting for a simple oval halo of diamond edges.
Featuring a 3.15-carat, oval-cut blue sapphire center stone, the surrounding diamonds total .51 carats, set on a beautiful 18k white gold upper shank pavé band.
3. Celina Ring
This thicker and more clustered style of the royal ring by Estate Diamond Jewelry features a 1.66 carat natural blue oval cut sapphire. Then, ten old European-cut diamonds surrounded this center gem, alternating with thick prongs. This provides a very secure ring construction with a crown-like decorated undergallery that maximizes light entry through its looped holes.
The ring’s side panels feature two European-cut diamonds with a spearhead bridge and wrapped ring edge. The thick, double-banded platinum band ties it all together.
4. Honore Sapphire and Diamond Engagement Ring
Like the previous ring, design variations on the shoulder create different new styles of the same ring design. This selection from Shane Co. is an Honore Ring with shank shoulders and a 14k white gold band.
The centerpiece is the .77 carat natural blue sapphire stone with 12 round diamonds around it in a flower-like halo crown. There are 1.09 carats worth of dazzling gems used in this ring.
5. 1735 Sapphire Ring
Garrard, the same company that created and designed the iconic ring based on Queen Elizabeth’s brooch, offers a new premium version of the ring.
The Garrard 1735 collection pays tribute to the original ring once owned by Princess Diana, which broke royal jewelry tradition by being accessible to all.
A certified oval sapphire, with 30 round diamonds adorning its shank and a diameter totalling .60 carats, creates a lovely centerpiece, with curved edges instead. The pavé shoulders and shank complete a high-quality platinum band.
6. 1735 Round Sapphire Ring
Continuing with the Garrard 1735 Collection inspired by the original Princess Di royal ring, we have this captivating round sapphire version. This is a delight for round-cut sapphire and diamond fans. It’s a certified round sapphire surrounded by 32 round diamonds of .40 carats and a pavé shank, atop a sleek platinum band.
The diamond company pays tribute to the original ring by offering premium diamond and emerald combination rings inspired by the Princess Diana original, with beautiful variations. Brides and couples who prefer a smaller gem profile and a round-cut center ring will find this an irresistible piece.
7. 1735 Double Cluster Sapphire Engagement Ring
We continue with another gorgeous ring in the Garrard 1735 collection, inspired by Princess Diana’s iconic jewelry. This piece features a double-layered outer halo of small diamonds and thick, round-cut, bigger diamonds in the outer rim on a pavé shank and a sleek platinum band. It’s twice as shimmering and lovely.
The ring’s thicker outer halo layer of 58 precious diamonds, amounting to 1.60 carats, is a little more decadent and opulent. They add two extra layers of brilliance and sparkle around its stunning, deep blue sapphire center.
8. Jewelled Vault Ring with Double Diamond Halos
Ornate double-layered diamond halos are a deluxe treatment of the Princess Diana ring. This lavish, bespoke 1735 Garrard round sapphire stone and diamond ring has custom Sovereign curved heart motifs, a teardrop diamond, and pavé shanks that flank each shoulder. The sapphire uses the same east-west setting as Queen Victoria’s legendary brooch. Building upon the original Princess Diana ring, this spellbinding custom piece is a luxurious version with triple the brilliance and sparkle, and a larger ring profile.
9. Princess Diana-Inspired Blue Sapphire Ring With Diamond Halo
Among our curated sapphire and diamond rings, this Angara ring closely resembles Princess Di’s original. Its sapphire stone has a north-to-south configuration and a halo of 14 diamonds crowned on a platinum band. This loving tribute keeps the romantic design and look with premium features, without needing more than $500,000 to achieve.
Buyers can also customize the total carat weight with smaller and larger options, and also different ring option materials for precise and personal customization. It creates the same royal luxury of the historical without the super-heavy price tag.
10. Oval Sapphire Halo Ring With Diamond Accents
Last but not least in this elite selection is this simple variation of the Princess Di ring by Angara. It embodies elegance with an enthralling deep blue sapphire center surrounded by round cut diamonds on its halo and pavé platinum band. The jewelry company offers custom options for the gem type, total gem carat weight, and ring material. You can recreate the iconic look of the original ring on your own terms at a good price.
