The Evolution of Royal Engagement Rings
Let's just say family heirlooms are a big trend.
Since the age of Queen Victoria, members of the royal family have embraced the engagement ring tradition. But the designs and styles have varied greatly—from colored stones to simple diamonds and brand new rings to family heirlooms. Since it may be awhile before another royal engagement, we're breaking down all the iconic engagement rings given in the past.
1477: Mary of Burgundy
Although the custom of exchanging engagement rings dates back to Roman times, the first diamond engagement ring was given to Mary of Burgundy in 1477 by her fiancé, Archduke Maximilian of Austria. The royal's choice of ring caused diamond engagement rings to trend with European nobility.
1839: Queen Victoria
In the early 19th century, it still wasn't common for brides to receive engagement rings. But just like with the white wedding dress, Queen Victoria made it popular. When Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg proposed to the reigning Queen, he presented her with an 18-carat gold multi-colored stone ring.
The Ring
The style of Queen Victoria's engagement ring was quite unique. The gold band was designed to mimic the look of a serpent coiled around her finger, with two rubies for the eyes, a string of diamonds for the mouth, and a large emerald stone (the Queen's birthstone) in the middle. Here, the Queen wears the ring on her right hand after the death of Prince Albert.
1863: Princess Alexandra of Denmark
When the Prince of Wales, future King Edward VII, proposed to Princess Alexandra of Denmark in 1863, he presented her with an acrostic engagement ring. The unique style features gemstones across the band that spell out a word or meaning. In this instance, the ring used beryl, emerald, ruby, topaz, and jacinth stones to spell the groom's nickname, Bertie.
1893: Queen Mary of Teck
King George V proposed to Mary of Teck in May 1893 under unusual circumstances. Mary was previously engaged to his older brother, Prince Albert Victor, who died of pneumonia during their engagement in 1892. The couple was pressured into marriage and wed on July 6, 1893.
The Lost Ring
While their engagement was announced in the garden of Sheen Lodge in 1893, the details of Queen Mary's engagement ring remains unknown. Historians have been unable to find a record of or track down a ring belonging to the Queen, who reigned from 1910 until 1936, and it's referred to as the lost ring. The Queen did, however, leave behind the Queen Mary Bandeau Tiara, which she wore on her wedding day and was lent to the Duchess of Sussex on her wedding day in 2018.
1923: Queen Elizabeth
Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was proposed to by the Duke of York, later King George VI, in 1923 and they married shortly after at Westminster Abbey.
The Ring
The Duke of York proposed with a sapphire stone engagement ring with diamond accents. However, it's said that the late Queen switched her engagement ring in the 1950s for a ring with a pearl center that was surrounded by a cluster of diamonds.
The Ring
Wallis Simpson, a twice divorced American socialite, received a stunning 19.77 carat emerald stone set in a Cartier ring from the Duke of York.
The Ring
Prince Philip sourced the stones for Queen Elizabeth's engagement ring from his mother's tiara. The classic mid-century design includes a square-cut center diamond and two side diamonds set in platinum. The Queen still wears the ring to this day—73 years later—with her Welsh gold wedding band.
1973: Princess Anne
The Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips announced their engagement on the lawn of Buckingham Palace in 1973. Princess Anne, a keen equestrian, met the Olympic medal rider at a party in 1968, and the two bonded over their love of horses.
1981: Lady Diana Spencer
Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles announced their engagement in 1981 on the steps of Buckingham Palace. The future princess selected the ring herself from a Garrard catalogue. Some say that the Palace was upset with the ring selection because it wasn't a rare jewel and could be purchased by anyone at the time.
The Ring
The ring was a hit with the public and caused a huge trend in colored stone engagement rings. The ring, set in white gold, featured an 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire with cluster diamonds around it.
2005: The Ring
Prince Charles gave the Duchess of Cornwall one of the biggest and most valuable engagement rings in the royal family, which also happens to be a family heirloom. The ring, an emerald-cut diamond with diamond baguettes on each side, originally belonged to the Queen Mother.
2010: The Ring
Prince William gave Middleton his late mother's sapphire cluster engagement ring, which sparked a resurgence in colored stone engagement rings. When speaking to reporters during his engagement announcement, Prince William explained why he chose the ring. "It was my way of making sure mother didn't miss out on today and the excitement and the fact that we're going to spend the rest of our lives together," he said, per ABC News.
2017: Meghan Markle
In November 2017, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrived hand in hand at Princess Diana's Memorial Garden in Kensington Palace to announce their engagement. The couple, who met through mutual friends in London in 2016, were married in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in May of 2018.
2017: The Ring
Prince Harry proposed to the Suits actress with a three-stone diamond ring set on a gold band. The ring, made by royal jeweler Cleave and Company, features a center stone from Botswana flanked by two smaller round diamonds from Princess Diana's personal jewelry collection.
2019: The Revamp
The royal made her first public appearance after the birth of her son at the 2019 Trooping of the Colour ceremony, and fans were quick to notice something different about Markle's left finger. The Duchess of Sussex debuted a revamped engagement ring—replacing the original gold band with a thinner band of pavé diamonds—as well as a new diamond eternity band on her stack.
