Why Kate Middleton 'secretly' altered her engagement ring
19 August 2022, 17:02
The Duchess of Cambridge was given Princess Diana's engagement ring when Prince William proposed in 2010.
Kate Middleton, 40, is said to have secretly altered her engagement ring after Prince William proposed with it in Kenya.
This is according to Hello! who report that the Duchess of Cambridge got the ring altered in order to stop it falling off her finger.
They report that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis' mother went to G Collins and Sons to get the band resized.
The jewellers used a special technique to alter the band without changing the exterior of the ring.
They are said to have added small platinum beads inside the band to reduce its diameter, which meant they didn't have to break or resolder the band itself.
The ring itself has a rich history and a very interesting story, but it all starts on February 24, 1981 when Diana became engaged to Prince Charles.
After proposing to Diana at a private dinner at Buckingham Palace, Charles gave the late Princess of Wales the change to choose her own engagement ring from the crown jeweller at the time, Garrard.
In the end, Diana chose an oval sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds, set in 18-carat white gold.
Following her tragic death in 1997, Diana's jewellery was left to her two sons, William and Harry, who reportedly chose a number of pieces themselves.
It has been reported that it was actually Harry who chose to keep the sapphire engagement ring, but willingly offered it to William and Kate when they got engaged in 2010.
In many ways, Kate's engagement ring is priceless due to the history and meaning behind it.
However, in more literal terms, the ring is believed to be worth around £300,000 - £400,000 today.
Back in 1981, Charles is believed to have paid £28,000 for the ring.
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