Meghan Markle engagement ring from Prince Harry valued by experts - how much is it worth? “The value of such a centre diamond greatly depends on the colour and clarity of the stone. The wedding ceremony is likely to be conducted by Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, who said he was delighted by the news and had been impressed by the prince’s “immense love for his family”. A royal source said it would be “a happy church wedding”, although the date is yet to be fixed.
Long gone are the days when a man in love could drop $1,000 on a ring and a future. Nope, the world’s most prestigious royals have set the bar for engagement rings way high. Kate Middleton’s royal engagement to Prince William dominated news headlines for months. And it seems Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s impending nuptials are about to do the same. Unfortunately for some, our obsession with the royal family traditions means expectations are higher than ever for our own engagement rings.
Those expectations will cost a pretty penny, too. As you’ll see by this ranking, it’s not just the British royals who spend obscene amounts of money on engagement rings (although they spend the most), it’s other monarchs as well. Here is a list of the world’s most expensive engagement rings we’ve seen to date, plus a couple that are a bit more reasonable. You know, just for sanity purposes.
13. Princess Sophia of Sweden
The princess’ ring is worth more than $13,000. | Maja Suslin/TT/AFP/Getty Images
Price: Around $13,400
Before she was a princess, Sofia Hellqvist was a model and reality TV contestant with a few PR blemishes to her name. So when Prince Carl Phillip — son of Queen Silvia and brother of Princess Victoria — proposed, it sparked a bit of uproar from Swedish citizens. But the backlash was a little easier to manage for Sophia once she was presented with a center-cut diamond ring surrounded by three interweaving bands of smaller diamonds. It is worth a cool £10,000, or about $13,400 U.S. smackaroos.
Next: An expensive ring brimming with national pride
12. Princess Mary of Denmark
Princess Mary’s ring matches the Danish flag. | Scott Barbour/Getty Images
Price: $13,400
Color is in, even for the royals. Princess Mary of Denmark marked her royal engagement to Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, with an elaborate ruby cut diamond ring that matches the Danish flag. The two ruby baguettes are flanked by a white diamond to symbolize national colors. Surely a customized ring like this will cost. It’s priced around £10,000 and has since been paired with an 18-carat gold wedding band with 24 square princess-cut diamonds.
Next: An orange ring?
11. Queen Maxima
Queen Maxima’s engagement ring pays tribute to the Netherlands. | Remko De Waal/AFP/Getty Images
Price: Between $20,200 and $202,200
Although originally from Argentina, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands was proposed to with a dazzling oval-shaped diamond ring. What makes this royal engagement ring so unique is its orange color, which is symbolic of the national color of the Netherlands. King Willem-Alexander shelled out a hefty chunk for this ring, as experts say it’s worth anywhere from £15,000 and £150,000 thanks to its rarity.
And that’s to say nothing of the golden crown she received as a wedding present when she married the then Prince in 2002.
Next: How much did Princess Diana’s ring cost?
10. Princess Diana
Diana’s ring has increased in value today. | Allan Lewis/AFP/Getty Images
Price: $36,000
The British Monarchy is known for their lavish engagement rings. Diana, the Princess of Wales, chose her engagement ring from a selection presented to her by Garrard Jewelers when Prince Charles proposed in 1981. The winner was a $36,000 18-carat oval sapphire surrounded by diamonds. Although priced reasonably in comparison to other British royal engagement rings, her ring is deemed priceless today, for reasons we’ll get to shortly.
Next: A ring that costs as much as some people’s college education
9. Princess Charlene of Monaco
Princess Charlene of Monaco’s ring is full of diamonds. | Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images
Price; Around $67,400
Prince Albert obviously inherited his good taste from his mother, Grace, The Princess of Monaco. He proposed to a former swimmer, Charlene Lynette Wittstock, with a beautiful 3-carat pear-shaped diamond surrounded by countless smaller white diamonds. The ring, designed by Jewelers Maison Repossi is valued at £50,000 — a chunk of cash many American commoners could fund a college education with. Sadly, the pair divorced in 1996.
Next: A red ring with a personalized touch
8. Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of Windsor
The ruby stone reminded the prince of her red hair. | Mario Tama/Getty Images
Price: $114,000 (estimated)
Keeping with family tradition, Sarah Ferguson received a large oval ruby ring from Prince Andrew and Garrard Jewelers in 1986. Reports claim the Prince chose the ruby stone because it reminded him of his fiancées red hair. The ring is adorned with 10 drop diamonds arranged in a floral pattern on a yellow and white gold band. The exact value is unknown, but this Burmese Ruby ring prompted Clogau to craft a ring inspired by this style in 2011. Similar styles retail for $114,000 on Amazon, to put it in perspective.
Next: A trendy engagement ring worth some serious dough
7. Pippa Middleton
Pippa Middleton isn’t a royal, but her engagement ring is fit for one. | Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Price: $120,000
Although not technically royalty, Pippa Middleton was renowned as the world’s most eligible bridesmaid during her sister’s and brother-in-law’s royal wedding nuptials. But not for long. When James Matthews dropped to one knee for Pippa’s hand in marriage, he did so with a 5-carat art deco engagement ring worth $120,000. The ring is a trendy Ascher cut diamond surrounded with an octagonal halo of smaller diamonds.
Next: A pricey engagement ring even celebrities wanted
6. Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall
Camilla’s ring has increased in value. | Ben Birchall/AFP/Getty Images
Price: Around $134,600
Prince Charles’ second engagement was to Camilla Parker-Bowles. He used a ring from his grandmother’s collection, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother’s, to ask for her hand. At the time of their engagement in 2005, the 1930’s art deco diamond ring was valued at £100,000, but its value today is ball-parked at £200,000, or $269,200.
Want to know what a square-cut central diamond centered around six diamond baguettes looks like? Just search for Angelina Jolie’s engagement ring from Brad Pitt. It’s said to be remarkably similar in style to Camilla’s jewelry.
Next: The Queen herself
5. Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip pose during the early years of their marriage. | AFP/Getty Images
Around $134,600
The diamonds in Queen Elizabeth’s engagement ring are from a tiara that belonged to Prince Philip’s mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg. The 3-carat beauty is valued at a humble £100,000, or $134,600 today. But, as you’ll see, her royal engagement ring hardly holds a candle — in price, that is — to her successor’s charms.
Next: Why have one diamond when you can have three?
4. Sophie, Countess of Wessex
Sophie, Countess of Wessex, has two heart-shaped gems in her ring. | Stefan Rousseau/AFP/Getty Images
Price: Around $141,500
The Queen’s youngest child, Prince Edward, proposed to Sophie Rhys-Jones with a ring from Garrard, the favorite British royal jeweler. The ring contains three diamonds: a two-carat oval diamond, surrounded by two heart-shaped gems. Of course, it’s set in 18-carat white gold and valued at more than £105,000, about $141,500 U.S. dollars.
Next: Kate Middleton’s ring
3. Kate, The Duchess of Cambridge
Princess Diana’s engagement ring was given to Kate Middleton. | Arthur Edwards-WPA Pool/Getty Images
Price: Around $500,000
Prince William reportedly carried Kate Middleton’s engagement ring in his pocket for three weeks before finally asking for her hand. Considering the ring’s legacy only gets richer with time, the oval 12-carat Ceylon sapphire surrounded by a cluster of 14 solitaire diamonds set in white gold was probably burning a hole in his pocket. When Princess Diana wore the same ring in 1981, it cost £28,500. Today, the ring Kate Middleton touts is estimated at nearly $500,000.
Next: The newest member of the royal family
2. Meghan Markle
Prince Harry chose the center diamond for a special reason. | Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP/Getty Images
Price: Around $350,000
Prince Harry let William propose to Kate with their mother’s ring, but that doesn’t mean the ring Harry gifted his fiancé is any less significant to the monarch. The center stone is from Botswana, which is sentimental to the couple’s relationship. The ring also features two diamonds from Princess Diana’s personal jewelry collection that make this royal engagement ring truly one of a kind. Although the ring is certifiably priceless, experts estimate a monetary worth of at least $350,000.
Next: The most expensive royal engagement ring
1. Grace, The Princess of Monaco
Grace Kelly’s royal engagement ring appraises for millions. | AFP/Getty Images
Price: $4.6 million (estimated)
Actress Grace Kelly became the Princess of Monaco after Prince Rainier III proposed. The first ring was interlocked diamonds and rubies, but the second one was truly fit for a princess. It was a 10.5 carat diamond stunner some consider priceless today. Others value the ring at a staggering $4.6 million — way higher than any other royal ring on this list.
Since her untimely death in 1982, the ring has been displayed in exhibits around the world, including Grace, Princess of Monaco: A Tribute to the Life and Legacy of Grace Kelly exhibit at Sotheby’s in New York in 2007.
Next: On the flip side, here are two princesses who sport modest engagement rings.
1. Queen Letizia Ortiz
She hardly wears her engagement ring. | Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images
Price: Around $4,000
Spain is known for modest engagements. So naturally, King Felipe VI took a step back from the flash and proposed to Letizia Ortiz with a beautiful white gold eternity ring featuring 16 baguette diamonds valued at £3,000. She even exchanged the ring for a much simpler band years later and still hardly wears it in public. But before she racks up points for modesty, she did receive a priceless necklace from the family collection during her engagement as well. Not too shabby for a non-aristocratic woman who went from news anchor to Queen of Spain.
Next: A Scandinavian royal with simple taste in jewelry
2. Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden
The princess sports a simple engagement ring. | Jonas Ekstromer/AFP/Getty Images
Price: Under $10,000
This Swedish princess is known and beloved by others for being a down-to-earth royal leader. Even her engagement ring is pretty simple by royal standards. It’s a round, diamond solitaire with little embellishment. Though Swedish tradition usually involves a simple gold band for engagements, she still kept it classy with a reasonable rock. Similar styles retail for less than $10,000 on Amazon.
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The Mughal EmperorShah Jahan attends the marriage procession of his eldest son Dara Shikoh. Mughal-Era fireworks were utilized to brighten the night throughout the wedding ceremony.
A royal wedding is a marriage ceremony involving members of a royal family. Weddings involving senior members of the royal family are often seen as important occasions of state and attract significant national and international attention. The following is a list of notable royal weddings:
117th century
218th century
319th century
420th century
521st century
17th century[edit]
Sweden[edit]
25 November 1620: King Gustaf II Adolf was married to Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg.
18th century[edit]
Sweden[edit]
4 November 1766: Crown Prince Gustav, eldest son and successor of King Adolf Frederick, was married to Princess Sophia Magdalena of Denmark.
19th century[edit]
Russian Empire[edit]
26 November 1895: Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, was married to Alexandra Feodorovna at the Grand Church of the Winter Palace.
United Kingdom[edit]
10 February 1840: Queen Victoria, only daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, and successor of King William IV, was married to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duke of Saxony, at the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace.
6 July 1893: Prince George, Duke of York, second son and successor of King Edward VII, was married to Princess Victoria Mary of Teck at the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace.
20th century[edit]
Belgium[edit]
4 December 1999: Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant, eldest child and successor of King Albert II, was married to Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula.
Greece[edit]
1 July 1995: Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece, eldest son and second child of King Constantine II, was married to Marie-Chantal Miller.
United Kingdom[edit]
26 April 1923: Prince Albert, Duke of York, second son of King George V and successor of King Edward VIII, was married to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon at Westminster Abbey.
20 November 1947: Princess Elizabeth, eldest daughter and successor of King George VI, was married to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten at Westminster Abbey.
8 June 1961: Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, third grandson of King George V, was married to Katharine Worsley at Westminster Abbey.
24 April 1963: Princess Alexandra of Kent, third granddaughter of King George V, was married to The Hon. Angus Ogilvy at Westminster Abbey.
14 November 1973: Princess Anne, only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II, was married to Captain Mark Phillips at Westminster Abbey.
29 July 1981: Charles, Prince of Wales, eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and heir apparent, was married to Lady Diana Spencer at St Paul's Cathedral.
23 July 1986: Prince Andrew, Duke of York, second son of Queen Elizabeth II, was married to Sarah Ferguson at Westminster Abbey.
19 June 1999: Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II, was married to Sophie Rhys-Jones at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
21st century[edit]
Bhutan[edit]
13 October 2011: Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, King of Bhutan, was married to Jetsun Pema at the Punakha Dzong in Punakha, Bhutan.
Denmark[edit]
14 May 2004: Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, eldest son of Margrethe II of Denmark and heir apparent, was married to Mary Elizabeth Donaldson at the Church of Our Lady, Copenhagen.
Luxembourg[edit]
20 October 2012: Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, eldest son of Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and heir apparent, was married to Countess Stephanie de Lannoy at the Notre-Dame Cathedral, Luxembourg.
Monaco[edit]
1 July 2011: Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco, was married to Charlene Lynette Wittstock at the Prince's Palace of Monaco.
Norway[edit]
25 August 2001: Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, only son of King Harald V of Norway and heir apparent, was married to Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby at the Oslo Cathedral.
Spain[edit]
22 May 2004: Prince Felipe of Asturias, only son and successor of Juan Carlos I of Spain, was married to Letizia Ortiz at the Almudena Cathedral at Royal Palace of Madrid, Madrid.
Sweden[edit]
19 June 2010: Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, eldest daughter and heir apparent of Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden, was married to Daniel Westling at the Stockholm Cathedral.
8 June 2013: Princess Madeleine of Sweden, youngest child of Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden, was married to Christopher O'Neill at the Stockholm Palace Church.
13 June 2015: Prince Carl Philip, Only son of Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden, was married to Sofia Hellqvist at the Stockholm Palace Church.
Tonga[edit]
12 July 2012: Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala, Crown Prince of Tonga, was married to Sinaitakala Fakafanua at the Centennial Church in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga.
United Kingdom[edit]
9 April 2005: Charles, Prince of Wales, eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and heir apparent, was married to Camilla Parker Bowles at Windsor Guildhall.
29 April 2011: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, second grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, elder son of Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer, was married to Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey.
19 May 2018: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, third grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, younger son of Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer, was married to Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
12 October 2018: Princess Eugenie, third granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, younger daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah Ferguson, was married to Jack Brooksbank at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
External links[edit]
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