Princess Diana's Blue Engagement Ring Broke Generations of Royal Tradition. Here's Why

Kelsey LentzSun, April 19, 2026 at 10:00 AM UTC

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Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer at Buckingham Palace announcing their engagement; Diana Princess Of Wales' diamond and sapphire engagement ring.Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty (2)

Princess Diana's engagement ring is one of the most recognizable pieces of jewelry, but at the time of her engagement, it was quite controversial.

Diana picked out the now-iconic ring herself; it features a 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire and a halo of 14 diamonds. She wore it throughout her marriage to the future King Charles and was occasionally spotted wearing it even after their 1996 divorce.

In the years since her death, countless other celebrities have opted for blue sapphire engagement rings, including Penélope Cruz, Elizabeth Hurley and Gwyneth Paltrow. However, at the time, the unique choice broke royal tradition.

Here's everything to know about Princess Diana's controversial engagement ring.

The ring was featured in Garrard's catalogue

Diana, Princess of Wales' engagement ring.Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty

Diana chose her engagement ring from a selection of jewels in a catalogue from Garrard's, a longstanding royal jeweler.

Although the ring was exquisite and worth over $37,000 at the time, it was not custom-made for Diana and was available for public purchase.

This broke long-standing royal tradition, which has preferred more bespoke choices for a royal engagement ring. Never one to conform to tradition, Diana selected the ring anyway, setting the tone for her own unique approach to royal life.

The ring was inspired by a brooch worn by Queen Victoria

The Queen wearing the Prince Albert brooch, crafted from diamonds and a large sapphire.Credit: John Stillwell/PA Images via Getty

Although the ring caused controversy, it did have a bit of royal history behind it.

The design was inspired by a blue sapphire brooch that was given to Queen Victoria by her husband as a wedding present in 1840. The brooch was passed down for generations and was most notably worn by Queen Elizabeth.

Queen Victoria reportedly clipped the jewel to her wedding gown as her "something blue" because she loved it so much.

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The ring inspired Garrard's 1735 collection

Kate Middleton's engagement ring.Credit: ARTHUR EDWARDS/POOL WPA/AFP via Getty

Diana's ring choice put blue sapphires on the map and continues to inspire brides today. Its popularity also led to the creation of Garrard's 1735 collection, a line of diamond-set gemstones.

“All of our designs at Garrard are rooted in our heritage, and we continue to capture the elegant classicism of Princess Diana's engagement ring in our 1735 jewels,” Sara Prentice, creative director at Garrard, told Dune Magazine in November 2020.

Three years later, Garrard launched Blaze, a line of jewelry that reimagines Diana's iconic ring. The collection featured colorful, vibrant pieces with the same diamond cluster motif that Diana's ring was known for.

“Princess Diana was my muse for this collection, not just because of her Garrard cluster engagement ring, but because of her style, her elegance and her attitude,” Prentice explained in a September 2023 interview with The Times. “Diana was a trailblazer and Blaze is modern and bold, just as she was.”

Princess Diana's children inherited the ring after her death

Prince William and Kate Middleton on November 16, 2010 in London, England.Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty

After Diana's fatal car crash in 1997, the ring was inherited by her younger son, Prince Harry, who offered it to Prince William when it came time for him to propose to Kate Middleton in 2010.

“Obviously, [Diana's] not going to be around to share in all the fun and excitement, so this is my way of keeping her close to it all,” William said during an interview with ITV at the time.

Kate added of the ring: “It's very, very special … I just hope I can look after it.” The Princess of Wales continues to wear the ring today, though she occasionally opts for her gold Welsh wedding band.

Elements of the design were used in Meghan Markle's engagement ring

Meghan Markle's wears her engagement ring on April 25, 2018 in London, England.Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty

While Prince Harry gave Diana's ring to his brother, he did incorporate elements of his mother's jewelry into to his now-wife, Meghan Markle's engagement ring.

Meghan's ring features a large cushion-cut center diamond sourced from Botswana — where Meghan and Harry spent time together early on in their relationship — and two small diamonds from Diana's personal collection.

“It's so important to me to know that she's a part of this with us,” Meghan told the BBC. “It's incredibly special to be able to have this, which sort of links where [Harry comes] from and Botswana, which is important to us. It's perfect.”

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