One of the most famous rings in modern history is Princess Diana’s engagement ring. The ring with a bright blue sapphire became a new symbol of the British Crown, although it was originally considered a “common man’s ring”.
History of Lady Di’s engagement ring
The engagement of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer took place in February 1981. There are two versions of why this particular ring, quite unusual for the royal family, ended up on Diana’s ring finger.
Fig. 1. Princess Diana with Prince Charles and her engagement ring
The first version says that Charles asked the jewelry house Garrard, which was a regular supplier of jewelry for the monarchs, to provide 12 ring options. Allegedly, since the prince was not particularly happy about the marriage imposed by the family, he simply did not want to order a ring for the bride, as all other monarch grooms have always done.
The blue sapphire ring was neither antique, nor had any history, nor was it the most expensive of the selection. And, obviously, Charles couldn’t have imagined that it would be the choice. But Diana was won over by the color of the Ceylon sapphire, which set off her bright blue eyes beautifully. It also reminded her of her mother’s engagement ring. It ended up being the ring of choice.
The second version from Garrard sources says that Charles chose the ring himself, as it resembled Prince Albert’s brooch, which belonged to Queen Victoria. The gift was given by Prince Albert in honor of the wedding and adorned Victoria’s wedding dress. The brooch subsequently passed to Elizabeth II.
Figure 2. Elizabeth II’s sapphire and diamond brooch
Be that as it may, Princess Diana’s engagement ring caused quite a stir in the UK. The aristocracy was shocked that the future monarch was wearing a ring that cost only £28,000 (at 1981 prices). But they were even more outraged by the fact that the ring was not exclusive: any commoner could buy the same ring. As a result, it became known as “commoner’s sapphire”.
Probably, the aristocracy tried in this way to “put in place” a simple girl. Diana Spencer though belonged to an ancient family, but was far from the highest circles. She worked as a nanny in a kindergarten, no stranger to housework, dressed extremely modest. But it was this “simple” ring that made a significant contribution to the formation of the image of the “people’s princess” and Diana’s incredible success in Great Britain and around the world.
Figure 3. Princess Diana with her engagement ring
Description of Princess Diana’s ring
The ring that became Diana’s engagement jewelry was featured in the Garrard catalog. The jewelry house continued to replicate and sell the piece even after the couple’s marriage.
The center stone is a 12-carat oval-cut Ceylon sapphire. Surrounding the blue mineral are 14 small diamonds. The setting is made of 18 karat white gold of the highest 750 standard.
Figure 4. Sketch of Princess Diana’s ring
Despite the fact that Princess Diana’s “Cinderella story”, who went from being a nanny to becoming a member of the royal family, inspired the world for the first few years, her marriage to Charles proved to be a disappointment for both spouses.
Even after the spat, Diana continued to wear the ring. According to courtiers, she did not take it off, so as not to further traumatize her sons, who were severely affected by the discord in the family. After the official divorce in 1996, the ring was returned to the royal treasury.