Meghan Markle's heartwarming reasons she keeps changing her engagement ring
The Duke of Sussex designed the ring himself...Kate Middleton’s engagement ring is recognisable worldwide as it was the same sapphire ring Charles used to propose to Diana – but Meghan Markle‘s is iconic in its own right.
Harry and Meghan announced their engagement in 2017, and had their fairytale wedding less than a year later.
Although Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have made tweaks to her engagement ring in the years that have followed, it still holds the personal and sentimental value from the day the duke proposed.
Prince Harry designed the original ring
Harry got down on one knee in the north garden of Kensignton Palace to ask the former Suits actress to be his wife.
The ring, which gives a vintage feel and timeless elegance, was designed by the duke.
He wanted to choose something that holds sentimental value to the both of them while honouring his mother.
Prince William had inherited the sapphire engagement ring from his mother’s possessions and used it to propose to his wife Kate Middleton. Whereas, Harry followed in a similar pattern, and crafted the ring with diamonds from his mother’s collection instead.
Read more: When Harry met Meghan – How a royal prince kept his romance ‘secret’
How many carats was Meghan Markle’s engagement ring?
Meghan Markle’s engagement ring was estimated to be 3.8 carats weight in total, and valued to have cost around £120,000 at the time.
However, the fact it includes diamonds from his mother’s jewellery collection, and that it belongs to a royal, likely makes the piece priceless.
The 3-carat cushion-cut diamond was set on a yellow gold band. It featured a central diamond from Botswana which holds a special place in their hearts. Beside this are two diamonds from Princess Diana’s collection.
Why did Meghan Markle change her engagement ring?
It’s believed the ring has changed three times since 2017, with the small redesigns pairing with major changes in her life, or a ‘chapter’ in their love story, like having children. Prince Harry pushed for the change to her ring after the birth of their son, Prince Archie, in 2019.
The Duke of Sussex had the band on the engagement ring changed to match the eternity ring he had purchased for Meghan Markle. The yellow gold band was replaced with a micro-pave diamond band, and it paired nicely with her eternity ring, creating Meghan’s new stack. The stack featured birthstones of Meghan (peridot), Harry (emerald) and Archie (sapphire) on the underside, so they remained hidden.
The couple likely discussed it together after welcoming their first child together.
In 2022, more changes were noticed during Meghan’s appearance at the Invictus Games that year. This time around additional diamonds were added to draw more attention to the centre stone.
But in 2025, Meghan Markle’s engagement ring appeared to have undergone another transformation. This time the cushion-cut centre stone was now in an emerald-cut design, to make it more contemporary. It’s estimated the ring, after the changes, is worth around £250,000 now.
Read more: Truth behind Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s ‘secret wedding’ before their ceremony
Did Meghan Markle inherit any of Diana’s jewellery?
Princess Diana‘s gorgeous aquamarine ring appears to have been passed down or loaned to the royal, as Meghan wore the piece during her wedding reception.
Diana wore the ring to an auction of her own clothes in 1997 at Christie’s.
Meghan Markle also inherited the stones that were added to her engagement ring when Harry designed it, as they came from Diana’s collection.
The duchess also received butterfly earrings, a tennis bracelet, a gold bracelet and a Cartier tank watch – which she wore in her Netflix series, With Love, Meghan – from Diana.
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