Her piece – a 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds – was valued at greater than $37,000 on the time and, unusually for a royal engagement ring, was out there for public buy. Diana wore it all through her marriage to the then-Prince Charles, now King and aged 77, and continued to put on it once in a while after their 1996 divorce.
What was as soon as seen as a controversial selection has since turn out to be one of the vital recognizable items of bijou on the planet, later worn by Catherine, Princess of Wales, 44, after being handed down by the royal household.
The choice, which initially raised eyebrows inside royal circles, has since been reinterpreted as a defining second of private company.
A palace supply instructed us: “On the time, this ring was seen as a big departure from custom – royal brides have been anticipated to put on one thing distinctive, commissioned and completely unique. Diana selecting a hoop that anybody might theoretically purchase was seen by some as virtually unthinkable, nevertheless it additionally spoke volumes about her independence and intuition to do issues in a different way.”