Prince William and Kate Middleton
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Prince William and Kate Middleton are set to travel to Scotland for their 14th wedding anniversary on 29th April. The momentous occasion, which also marks Kate’s first official overnight visit since her cancer diagnosis, has sparked much discussion surrounding the couple’s love story.
As the pair get ready to embark on a typically understated celebration for their anniversary, it is hard to forget the far from understated, ‘big blue’ engagement ring which symbolically marks the start of the couple’s official devoted commitment to one another.
Like other fashion items owned by the Princess of Wales, the iconic band has inspired many other celebrities to opt for a slightly more unconventional jewel when picking their special ring. Kate Middleton’s 12-carat opal-cut sapphire (surrounded by 14 round-cut diamonds) holds a huge amount of emotional significance. The heirloom ring is the same Sri Lankan ring that King Charles III proposed to Princess Diana with, and it dates back to the 19th century.
The iconic diamond and sapphire gemstone became a favoured crown heirloom in 1840 after Queen Victoria received a brooch made of diamonds and sapphires from Prince Albert. The Queen loved the brooch and wore it as ‘something blue’ on her wedding day. The piece was later passed down and worn by Queen Elizabeth II, before inspiring King Charles III in 1981 when he was selecting engagement rings for Diana.
After William and Kate’s engagement was announced in 2010, the pair spoke of how the jewel had become a way to keep Diana close to them. The devoted commitment that the symbolic ring is unanimous with has also recently been revealed by royal insiders as a huge driving force behind Kate and William’s ‘team effort’ within the monarchy.