After Princess Diana‘s tragic death in 1997, it was only natural for her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, to choose a personal item of hers as a reminder of their mother.
Harry reportedly selected Diana’s Garrard sapphire engagement ring, while William opted for her Cartier Tank Française watch.
In 2010, it is believed the brothers swapped items, so William could use the ring to propose to Kate Middleton. Later, Harry gave the luxurious timepiece to Meghan Markle.
However, in his bombshell biography Spare, released last year, the Duke of Sussex branded these reports ‘absolutely rubbish’.
Instead, Harry claimed William was already in possession of their mother’s ring when he proposed to Kate, so he was never asked to give it up.
One of the most famous pieces of jewellery in history, the Garrard sapphire and diamond engagement ring was purchased by Charles for Diana in 1981. It cost £28,000 and is now valued at upwards of £300,000
Additionally, Harry said he was unaware of William’s intention to marry Kate until the engagement was publicly announced.
‘Soon after we returned to Britain the Palace announced that Willy was going to marry. November 2010,’ the Prince wrote.
‘News to me. All that time together in Lesotho, he’d never mentioned it.
‘The papers published florid stories about the moment I realised Will and Kate were well matched, the moment I appreciated the depth of their love and thus decided to gift Willy the ring I’d inherited from Mummy, the legendary sapphire, a tender moment between brothers, a bonding moment for all three of us, and absolute rubbish: none of it ever happened.
Harry went on to deny ever asking for the piece of jewellery after Diana’s death and wrote: ‘I never gave Willy that ring because it wasn’t mine to give. He already had it. He’d asked for it after Mummy died, and I’d been more than happy to let it go.’
One of the most famous pieces of jewellery in history, the Garrard sapphire and diamond engagement ring, was purchased by Charles for Diana in 1981. It cost £28,000 and is now valued at upwards of £300,000.
The ring, inspired by Queen Victoria‘s sapphire brooch from 1840, which she wore as her ‘something blue’ on her wedding day, symbolised marriage, family and love.
When presented with various options, Diana and Charles reportedly selected this ring together, as it complemented her blue eyes.
The choice of a catalogue ring rather than a custom-designed piece broke royal tradition, making it possible for others to purchase the same engagement ring.
William presented his fiancée Kate with the 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire, surrounded by fourteen solitaire diamonds, which was crafted by Garrard
After Diana’s death, it was reported that Harry requested to keep his mother’s Garrard sapphire engagement ring, while William selected her Cartier Tank Française watch
Kate has been proudly wearing Princess Diana’s ring for almost 14 years
In his bombshell memoir, Spare, Harry alleged that William was already in possession of their mother’s ring when he proposed to Kate – so he was never asked to part with it
Diana’s choice of a catalogue ring rather than a custom-designed piece broke royal tradition, making it possible for others to purchase the same engagement ring
In another twist, Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell, told the Mirror that he was present when the brothers selected the items to remember their mother by.
Paul claimed: ‘Harry said to me, “I always remember holding Mummy’s hand and that ring hurting me because it was so big”.
‘And that’s why, when the boys came to Kensington Palace, I said to them, you must take something of your Mother’s. You must take something to remind yourself of your time here at Kensington Palace and your mother’s life.’
The former royal employee claimed that William asked to keep Diana’s Cartier watch, which had been a present from her father on her 21st birthday, while Harry chose her engagement ring, which has now been worn by Kate for almost 14 years.
What’s more, Paul says that William was ‘happy with the arrangement’.
Diana wore her beloved Cartier Tank Française on several occasions, including a 1997 visit to London’s Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple and an engagement at the British Lung Foundation that same year.
At the time, the yellow gold watch was priced at £17,800. Harry later gave it to Meghan, who has worn it countless times, often stacked with a Cartier Love bracelet.
It is a clear favourite from her inherited collection.