The 22 Most Iconic Royal Engagement Rings of All Time

Before a royal bride says “I do” to her partner, she needs to say “yes” to the proposal. Depending on the couple’s relationship, this sentimental moment may unfold on vacation at a spot that’s meaningful to the duo or in the comfort of their living room following an at-home date night. However, in addition to the place, the soon-to-be newlywed will need to purchase an engagement ring. While some brides, such as Princess Diana, played a role in the selection of this important jewel, others were completely surprised by the piece their significant other chose for them.

Even though many royals wanted a classic engagement ring in a timeless cut, others gravitated toward a more unique design. For example, Wallis Simpson, the wife of Prince Edward—and the reason why he abdicated the British throne, selected an emerald sparkler in lieu of a white diamond. This trend of colored jewels continued with other royals; Princess Anne, Sarah Ferguson, and Princess Eugenie all debuted baubles featuring pink-colored gems. Other brides, including Queen Mary of Denmark and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, took a different approach, integrating the hues of their country’s flag into their sparkler.

Here, we’ve rounded up the 22 most iconic royal engagement rings from the last 100 years. From Grace Kelly’s emerald-cut diamond to Kate Middleton’s heirloom piece, read on to see all of these stunning baubles.

Wallis Simpson

Wallis Simpson was the first royal bride in modern history to turn to a colorful stone. When Prince Edward proposed to the American, he did so with an emerald sparkler from Cartier that was almost 20 carats. The piece featured a sentimental message on the interior, “We are ours now 27 x 36,” a nod to the date of the duo’s engagement: October 27, 1936.

Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother

When King George VI first proposed to the Queen Mother, he gave her a sapphire sparkler with diamond accents. However, years later, the royal swapped the piece out for a showstopping ring that featured a large pearl surrounded by a collar of diamonds.

Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth’s engagement ring—given to her by Prince Philip in 1947—is a timeless and classic pick. Sourced from a tiara, the diamonds originally belonged to Philip’s mother, Princess Alice of Greece. The piece featured a three-carat round-cut stone flanked by clusters of smaller gems, all set in timeless platinum. At the time, the sparkler was estimated to be worth $15,000, equivalent to approximately $250,000 today. After saying “I do,” the monarch paired the ring with her Welsh gold band, a tradition in the British royal family.

Grace Kelly

The actress-turned-princess was known for her style choices—and her two engagement rings were no exception. When Prince Rainier III originally proposed to Grace Kelly, he did so with a Cartier band of diamonds and rubies. However, the couple later swapped the piece for a 10-carat emerald-cut diamond flanked by baguette stones and set in platinum. The second sparkler is one of the most expensive sparklers of all time; in 1956, it was listed at $4.06 million, equivalent to approximately $38.8 million.

Princess Margaret

After a failed engagement to Captain Peter Townsend, Princess Margaret accepted a ring from photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones. The sparkler featured a ruby surrounded by diamonds designed to look like a rosebud. Her partner crafted the piece as a nod to the royal’s middle name, Rose.

Queen Margrethe of Denmark

Queen Margrethe’s engagement ring is one of the most unique royal sparklers. When Prince Henrik proposed to her in 1967, he presented her with a toi et moi ring. Experts estimate that the piece is worth approximately $750,000. Although her husband of fifty years passed away in 2018, she still wears the bauble he gave her.

Princess Diana

When Prince Charles proposed to Princess Diana, he did so with a ring of the bride’s choosing, a sapphire piece from Garrard, the crown jeweler. The 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire was set in 18-karat white gold and surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds. At the time, the bauble was estimated to cost $37,500 to $60,000, equivalent to approximately $520,000 today. However, since the sparkler was featured in the jeweler’s catalog, anyone could have purchased it, a fact that was not well-received by the British royal family.

Sarah Ferguson

Keeping in line with tradition, Sarah Ferguson’s sparkler was from Garrard, the royal jeweler. The piece featured an oval-cut Burmese ruby surrounded by 10 diamonds and set on a gold band. At the time of the engagement, some reports indicated that that the bright stone was designed to match the author’s red hair.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh

When Prince Edward proposed to Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, he did so with a three-stone diamond sparkler. The piece features an oval-cut center stone, flanked by two heart-shaped diamonds, and set in white gold. The classic silhouette of the Garrard design was the perfect choice for the royal.

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands

Even though Queen Máxima was born in Argentina, her engagement ring pays homage to her husband’s nation: The Netherlands. The sparkler, which was crafted by Steltman, a Dutch jewelry firm, features an orange oval diamond flanked by two emerald-cut diamonds nestled between three separate bands. The colored jewel was designed to nod to the House of Orange-Nassau, the Dutch royal dynasty, according to The Court Jeweller.

Queen Mary of Denmark

When King Frederik X proposed to Queen Mary in 2003, he presented her with a ring inspired by Denmark’s flag. The stepped design features an emerald-cut diamond in the center with emerald-cut rubies on either side. In recent years, the royal updated the piece to include two diamond baguettes in honor of the couple’s children.

Queen Letizia of Spain

Instead of the usual center stone on a band, Queen Letizia’s engagement ring, which was crafted by Suárez Jewellery, is a modern eternity band featuring a series of baguette-cut diamonds. Like Queen Elizabeth and Kate Middleton, she has often paired the piece with a yellow gold wedding band, leaning into the mixed metal trend.

Camilla Parker Bowles

King Charles III turned to a five-carat emerald-cut diamond with three diamond baguettes on either side to propose to Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005. The piece, which was originally a present to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, from King George VI, features an Art Deco design. Today, the heirloom sparkler is estimated to be worth $288,000.

Princess Victoria of Sweden

When Prince Daniel proposed to Princess Victoria of Sweden in 2009, the diamond engagement ring he selected broke with tradition. In the Nordic country, it was considered customary for the bride and groom to exchange gold bands upon their engagement and then purchase a diamond ring for the bride on their wedding day. By proposing with the round brilliant-cut diamond, Daniel bucked with the custom.

Zara Phillips

Zara Phillips, the daughter of Princess Anne, married rugby player Mike Tindall on July 30, 2011, at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland. When the rugby player proposed in 2010, he presented the royal with a timeless sparkler. The ring features a center diamond set above a split-shank band with channel-set diamonds.

Princess Charlene of Monaco

When Prince Albert II, Grace Kelly’s son, proposed to Princess Charlene, he sought out a stunning engagement ring for the Olympian. He ultimately selected just that: a three-carat pear-cut diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds. The piece was crafted by Repossi, a Parisian jeweler who specializes in bespoke pieces.

Princess Madeleine of Sweden

In 2013, Princess Madeleine, the youngest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, married Christopher O’Neill. When he proposed, the financier gave his partner an engagement ring with a large Asscher-cut stone in a minimalist setting set atop a simple pavé shank. Today, the royal pairs the piece with a matching delicate pavé band, complementing the Art Deco facets of the center jewel.

Kate Middleton

Rather than turn to a new piece for his proposal to Kate Middleton, Prince William popped the question with an heirloom jewel: Princess Diana’s engagement ring. In recent years, the royal has paired her 12-carat sapphire with other sentimental pieces, including her gold wedding band, a white gold and diamond Annoushka ring, a thin band with smaller diamonds, and a band featuring dark gems and diamonds.

Princess Sofia of Sweden

In 2014, Prince Carl Phillip of Sweden proposed to Princess Sofia with a round diamond surrounded by a ring of smaller diamonds set on a pavé band. Today, the royal often pairs her engagement ring with her diamond-encrusted wedding band.

Meghan Markle

When it came time to propose to Meghan Markle, Prince Harry opted to design the sparkler himself, crafting a three-stone piece that features a center diamond from Botswana, as well as diamonds from Princess Diana’s collection on either side of the main jewel. Over the past few years, the former actress has upgraded the bauble a number of times. Most recently, it appears that she may have swapped the original cushion-cut diamond for an emerald cut.

Princess Eugenie

Taking a cue from the engagement rings of Princess Anne and Sarah Ferguson, Princess Eugenie’s sparkler from Jack Brooksbank features a colored jewel. The piece, which the British marketing executive gave to the royal in 2018 while the two were vacationing in Nicaragua, includes an oval pink-orange padparadscha sapphire surrounded by diamonds.

Princess Beatrice

Princess Beatrice’s ring materially differs from the jewels of her sister, Princess Eugenie, and her mother, Sarah Ferguson. Her fiancé, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, proposed with a three-stone engagement ring featuring a round-cut center diamond flanked by a pair of baguette diamonds. The bauble was designed by jeweler Shaun Lane.