Long before Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton in 2010 with a sapphire and diamond engagement ring, Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and heir to the throne, gave Lady Diana Spencer the ring in early 1981.
Charles and Diana announced their engagement to the public on February 24, 1981, and married five months later, on July 29. The sapphire and diamond ring was valued at $37,500 in 1981, which is equivalent to approximately $132,913 in 2025 dollars. Diana picked the 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire ring, which violated precedent by not being custom-designed for the future Princess of Wales. In reality, Diana chose her own engagement ring from a catalogue, which has since become one of the most iconic pieces of royal jewellery in history.
The pair had been dating for around six months when they announced their engagement, and Charles told the BBC that he was “delighted and frankly amazed” that Diana consented to take him on (and everything that comes with marrying into the royal family).
Diana’s ring was inspired by the nineteenth century, and it was one of a few that Charles chose to offer to Diana at Windsor Castle in preparation for the proposal. According to People, Charles included the sapphire and diamond ring in Diana’s selection “because it reminded him of the brooch he often saw his mother and grandmother wear.”
Diana reportedly chose the sapphire ring to complement her unique blue eyes, one of her many distinguishing qualities.
The 12-carat sapphire ring was inspired by a special jewel in the royal collection.
The ring is a 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire set in 18-carat white gold and surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds. It was designed by Garrard, and the manufacturer claims it was inspired by a brooch Prince Albert commissioned for his future bride, Queen Victoria, in 1840. That piece was set in gold and had a huge sapphire surrounded by 12 round diamonds. Queen Victoria adored the brooch so much that she wore it as her “something blue” and fastened it to the front of her bridal gown.
That brooch is presently worn by members of the royal family and is kept in the royal collection.
The ring was appraised at $37,500 in 1981.
Royals generally recycle antique jewellery to make bespoke engagement rings, such as Queen Elizabeth’s and Meghan Markle’s rings, but Diana’s engagement ring was picked from the Garrard catalogue and cost $37,500 at the time. Diana’s engagement ring was unique since, ostensibly, anyone with $37,500 to spend could buy the exact ring Diana had on her finger from the Garrard catalogue.
King Charles proposed after only six months of courtship.
Charles proposed to Diana in early February 1981, before the official announcement on February 24. “It is with the greatest pleasure that the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh announce the betrothal of their beloved son the Prince of Wales to the Lady Diana Spencer, daughter of Earl Spencer and the Honourable Mrs. Shand Kydd,” a statement read at the time.
On February 24, the newly engaged pair posed for photos outside Buckingham Palace before meeting with the BBC for a joint engagement interview (Prince William and Kate Middleton and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also had engagement interviews in 2010 and 2017, respectively). Diana wore a cobalt blue skirt suit from Harrods to match her sapphire engagement ring, and Charles stated in the interview that he “asked Diana before she went to Australia.”
“Two or three days before,” he added. “I thought it would be a good idea…if she went to Australia, she could then think about it, and if she didn’t like the idea she could say she didn’t, or if she did, she could say that.”
“I had a long time to think about it, because I knew the pressure was on both of us,” Diana said. “Ultimately, it wasn’t a difficult decision. That’s what I wanted. “That’s what I want.”
Reports differ on how Charles proposed to Diana—some claim it was during a private supper at Buckingham Palace, while others believe it happened in the palace nursery. In Andrew Morton’s shocking 1992 biography of the Princess of Wales, Morton stated that the proposal caught Diana off guard, and she answered with a “giggle.” Charles was 32 years old when he proposed to Diana, who was only 19.
During their engagement interview three weeks later, Charles delivered his infamous—and cringeworthy—remark when asked if they were in love. Diana responded softly, “Of course,” while Charles answered, “Whatever in love means.”
Diana later claimed that the bride-to-be was “traumatised” by this comment.
Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with Diana’s engagement ring.
Princess Diana died tragically on August 31, 1997; to honour his mother’s memory, William proposed to Kate in 2010 while on holiday in Africa, using her engagement ring. Their engagement was announced on November 16 of that year, and Kate still wears her ring today.
“I had been carrying it around with me in my rucksack for about three weeks,” William explained during his engagement interview. “I literally would not let it go—everywhere I went, I was keeping hold of it, ‘cause I knew this thing, if it disappeared, I’d be in a lot of trouble.”
Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with Diana’s engagement ring.
Princess Diana died tragically on August 31, 1997; to honour his mother’s memory, William proposed to Kate in 2010 while on holiday in Africa, using her engagement ring. Their engagement was announced on November 16 of that year, and Kate still wears her ring today.
“I had been carrying it around with me in my rucksack for about three weeks,” William explained during his engagement interview. “I literally would not let it go—everywhere I went, I was keeping hold of it, ‘cause I knew this thing, if it disappeared, I’d be in a lot of trouble.”
Kate, like her late mother-in-law before her, chose a blue Issa wrap dress to her engagement announcement, which complimented the diamond.
“It’s my mother’s engagement ring, so I thought it was quite nice because obviously she’s not going to be around to share any of the fun and excitement of it all,” William explained about his decision to propose with Diana’s ring. “This was my way of keeping her sort of close to it all.”
“It’s very special to me,” he explained. “As Kate’s very special to me now, it was right to put the two together.”
During a royal engagement in 2023, a fan approached the Princess of Wales about her ring, to which Kate replied that it was the “same ring” Diana had, “and exactly the same—the same size.”
