It’s one of the most important and exciting announcements that the royal family makes: an engagement. This was especially the case for then-Prince Charles in 1981 when he revealed that he had proposed to Princess Diana with a 12-carat sapphire ring. The jewel soon became one of the world’s most famous engagement rings. However, the couple’s partnership quickly dissolved after they wed; the two separated in 1992 and officially filed for divorce in 1996. Much of the blame over the demise of their marriage went to Charles’s affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, and a year after Diana’s tragic death in 1997, Charles and Camilla went public with their relationship. In February 2005, 35 years after their first meeting, the duo announced their engagement. Charles proposed to Camilla with a historic ring, one that had originally been part of the Queen Mother’s jewelry collection. Rather than the colored gemstone he gave Diana, when asking Camilla for her hand in marriage, Charles turned to a classic emerald-cut diamond.
Even though both of these rings are some of the most famous in the world, they differ greatly in terms of their cut, color, carat size, and price. Here, we dive into the cost of each of these jewels.
How Much Did Princess Diana’s Engagement Ring Cost?
When Charles proposed to Diana on February 3, 1981, he did so with a sapphire engagement ring. The princess herself had played a role in the purchasing of the piece, selecting it from a Garrard’s catalog, which broke with royal tradition at the time. The jewel quickly became one of the most well-known in the world. The ring features a 12-carat, oval-cut sapphire, which was sourced from Sri Lanka, that’s surrounded by 14 round-cut solitaire diamonds—and set in 18-karat white gold. In 1981, when Charles purchased the piece, it was estimated to cost between $37,500 and $60,000. However, today, the ring is worth approximately $520,000. Several factors contribute to the high price tag of the sparkler, including inflation, the rarity of the jewels, and the fact that it’s now Kate Middleton’s engagement ring. Wanting the beloved piece to remain a part of his familial history after his mother’s death in 1997, Prince William proposed to Kate with the famous sapphire in 2010.
How Much Did Camilla Parker Bowles’s Engagement Ring Cost?
On February 5, 2005, Charles and Camilla announced their engagement. The news didn’t come as a surprise to the public, as the couple had already moved in together two years prior. Yet, much intrigue remained around the diamond that Charles used to propose. The sparkler was soon revealed to be a five-carat emerald-cut diamond with three baguette diamonds on either side. The piece was originally part of the collection of the Queen Mother, Charles’s grandmother, and was allegedly a present given to her by King George VI when she gave birth to Charles’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II. The heirloom jewel is estimated to be worth approximately $288,000.