Engagement Rings & Weddings
13 Most Iconic Royal Engagement Rings of All Time
By Jill Newman, Updated June 20, 2025
Check out our picks for the best royal engagement rings of all time, and the best look-alikes for every budget.
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex wears her royal engagement ring on October 3, 2018 in Bognor Regis, England. (Getty Images)
A royal wedding conjures fairytale images with horse-drawn carriages, lavish lace gowns, diamond tiaras, and sparkling jewels. And, of course, like any great love story, there’s a beautiful, twinkling royal engagement ring.
For generations of royals, the engagement ring has represented their unique love story, personal style, and dreams. From Empress Joséphine Bonaparte to Meghan Markle, their choice of elegant, timeless rings inspired others and stood the test of time.
Here’s your definitive guide to finding a regal diamond, inspired by the most memorable royal engagement rings throughout history.
Meet the Author
- Jill Newman is a jewelry authority, editor, and storyteller with over 25 years of experience, having reported from diamond mines in Africa, cutting workshops in India and Belgium, and ateliers around the world.
- She serves as Editor-at-Large for the Natural Diamond Council, with additional bylines in The New York Times, Town & Country, Elle Décor, and Robb Report.
Queen Elizabeth II’s Royal Engagement Ring Features a Classic Round Diamond (Married 1947)
In the summer of 1947, at Balmoral Castle, the dashing Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten proposed to the 21-year-old Princess Elizabeth with a 3-carat old European cut round diamond ring surrounded by smaller stones on either side. The ring had a grand legacy.
Like so many of the royal’s jewels, the diamonds were repurposed. Philip’s mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, gave him her diamond tiara for the ring. It wasn’t just any tiara; this was a gift on her wedding day from Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra of Russia, the last rulers of the Romanov dynasty. On the advice of his man-about-town uncle, Earl Mountbatten, Prince Philip went to London jeweler Antrobus Ltd. to design the ring.
Queen Elizabeth was rarely without her engagement ring. It reflected her personal style: classic and full of meaning and noble heritage. The big question is, who will inherit the diamond ring? Might Prince George propose with it one day?
Get the look:
Gabriel & Co. Evelina Round Diamond Engagement Ring, from $975, londonjewelers.com
Grace Lee Column Ring, $23,880, gracelee.com
Hamilton Jewelers Platinum and Diamond Ring, $60,850, hamiltonjewelers.com
Greenwich St. Jewelers Ann 3-Stone Engagement Ring Setting, from $2,250, greenwichjewelers.com
De Beers Forevermark Center of My Universe Floral Halo Diamond Ring, $3,960, bachendorfs.com
Kwiat The Kwiat Setting Engagement Ring with Baguette Band, price upon request, kwiat.com
Material Good Round Brilliant Cut Solitaire Engagement Ring, $109,850, materialgood.com
Graff Icon Three Stone Round Diamond Engagement Ring, price upon request, graff.com
KatKim Floating Diamond Pavé Ring, from $5,500, katkimfinejewelry.com
Tiffany & Co. Tiffany Novo Round Brilliant Engagement Ring, price upon request, tiffany.com
Empress Joséphine Bonaparte’s Toi et Moi Royal Engagement Ring (Married 1796)
If Empress Joséphine Bonaparte were alive today, she would no doubt be a popular social influencer. As the wife of French ruler Napoleon Bonaparte, her fashion-forward style and jewels influenced trends at court and raised some eyebrows, too.
Joséphine and Napoleon Bonaparte had a passionate romance. In 1796, after a whirlwind five-month courtship, Napoleon proposed to the former Joséphine de Beauharnais. His choice of ring proves the military officer (this was before his ascension to ruler of France) was a true romantic: He commissioned a minimalist design with two side-by-side pear-shaped stones, a diamond, and a blue sapphire, each weighing about one carat. What became known as the Toi et Moi, or ‘You and Me’ ring, was an expression of love and romance and remains popular today.
Get the look:
Ashley Zhang Toi et Moi Rose Cut Diamond Ring, $2,950, ashleyzhangjewelry.com
Anita Ko, Princess Eternity Ring, $4,775, anitako.com
Briony Raymond, Sloan Diamond Twin Ring, $14,000, brionyraymond.com
KatKim Brilliant Duét Ring, $30,000, katkimfinejewelry.com
Reza Chose Ring, Price Upon Request, worldofreza.com
Foundrae Forever & Always a Pair Love 7ct Diamond Bookend Ring Stack, $6,900, foundrae.com
Ashley Zhang Asscher and Emerald Cut Double Diamond Rolling Ring, $4,200, ashleyzhangjewelry.com
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh’s Three-Stone Royal Engagement Ring (Married 1999)
Historically, Duchess Sophie never drew the media attention of the glamorous Princess Kate or stylish (and controversial) Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, but she has risen to the ranks as a reliable, elegant, and likable royal.
Duchess Sophie’s engagement ring, however, is anything but ordinary. In 1999, her husband Edward, Duke of Edinburgh (the Queen’s youngest son), proposed with a ring from British jeweler Garrard, a royal warrant holder who supplied the late Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson’s rings. The three-stone ring features a 2-carat oval diamond center with smaller heart-shaped diamonds on either side. She wears it along with a Welsh gold wedding band, a century-old tradition in the Windsor dynasty. “If it catches the sun, you’ll be blinded,” Edward joked about the ring when the couple announced their engagement.
It’s a unique take on the three-stone ring because fancy heart-shaped diamonds aren’t common, but they are a sweet expression. The three-stone ring, representing the past, present, and future, is continuously reimagined with a mix of diamond shapes.
Get the look:
De Beers DB Classic Round Brilliant and Pear Shaped Diamond Ring, from $13,800, debeers.com
Greenwich St. Jewelers Willet Ring Setting, from $1,550, greenwichjewelers.com
Norman Silverman Three-stone engagement ring, from $15,750, londonjewelers.com
Classic Winston Heart-Shaped Engagement Ring with Tapered Baguette Side Stones, from $22,000, harrywinston.com
Jenniw Kwon Designs Round Diamond Pear Equilibrium ring, $3,815, jenniekwondesigns.com
Princess Charlene of Monaco Has a Pear-Shaped Diamond Royal Engagement Ring (Married 2011)
There are constant rumors that Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco’s marriage is on the rocks, but one thing is certain: She has a fabulous diamond engagement ring.
Prince Albert proposed to then Charlene Wittstock in 2010 with a 3-carat pear-shaped diamond with smaller diamonds in a triangular pattern on either side, made by Parisian jeweler Repossi. It’s easy to speculate that she didn’t leave it up to Prince Albert to design the ring because Repossi isn’t the first brand that comes to mind for royal engagement rings. It’s known for stylish, chic, and sometimes edgy designs.
Today, as brides desire unique diamond cuts, the pear shape is an especially popular choice.
Get the look:
Harry Winston Bridal Couture Pear Shaped Engagement Ring, price upon request, harrywinston.com
William Goldberg Flawless Pear-Shaped Ring, price upon request, williamgoldberg.com
Pear-shaped diamond engagement ring with halo, $22,000, sothebys.com
Graff Promise Pear Shape Diamond Engagement Ring, $11,000, graff.com
Single Stone Bauer Ring, price upon request, singlestone.com
Sylva & Cie champagne diamond pear shape ring, price upon request, sylvacie.com
Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry Pear Pave Solitaire Engagement Ring, $8,880, stephaniegottlieb.com
Queen Camilla’s Art Deco-Style Emerald-Cut Diamond Engagement Ring (Married 2005)
For his second chance at love, King Charles proposed to Queen Camilla in 2005 with a family heirloom: a 5-carat emerald cut diamond flanked with 3 baguette diamonds graduating in size on each side in an Art Deco design. It belonged to the Queen Mother, Charles’s maternal grandmother, with whom he had a close and loving relationship. This is especially poignant since the Queen Mum was gifted the ring as a push present when she gave birth to Queen Elizabeth and was spotted wearing the ring throughout the 1980s.
At five carats, the ring is big enough to get noticed but not flashy. Its sleek Art Deco design is also fitting for Queen Camilla’s no-nonsense personal style.
Get the look:
Andria Barboné Camille Ring, $62,500, andriabarbone.com
Boghossian Diamond and White gold engagement ring, $56,300, sothebys.com
Erstwhile Art Deco Engagement Ring, $23,500, erstwhile.com
Lang Antiques Art Deco Step-Cut Engagement Ring, $21,750, langantiques.com
Jennie Kwon Rhapsody Diamond ring, from $3,200, jenniwkowndesigns.com
Single Stone Caroline Ring Setting, from $33,000, singlestone.com
Queen Letizia of Spain’s Diamond Eternity Band (Married 2004)
When the Spanish King Felipe VI married former television journalist Letizia Ortiz in 2004, it surprised royal watchers because they had kept their romance a secret.
The beautiful Queen Letizia broke with tradition and opted for a modern eternity band with 16 emerald-cut diamond baguettes set in white gold made by Spanish jewelry brand, Suárez, rather than a solitaire diamond ring. She wears it with a plain gold wedding band from Spanish jewelry designer Karen Hallam.
More brides today are wearing the diamond eternity band in place of a solitaire engagement ring.
Get the look:
Anna Sheffield Wheat Baguette Eternity Band, $4,450, annasheffield.com
Grace Lee Baguette Eternity Ring, $7,880, gracelee.com
Bucherer Fine Jewelry Baguette Love, price upon request, bucherer.com
Eriness Diamond Vertical Baguette Ring, $16,250, eriness.com
Octavia Elizabeth Ivy Eternity Band, $19,300, octaviaelizabeth.com
Sethi Couture Heritage Baguette Diamond Band, $10,120, sethicouture.com
Suzanne Kalan Bold Diamond Eternity Band, $11,300, suzannekalan.com
Princess Madeleine of Sweden‘s Asscher-Cut Diamond Engagement Ring (Married 2013)
In Sweden, the tradition is to exchange gold bands upon engagement and save the impressive diamond ring for the wedding day. But Princess Madeleine didn’t wait for the diamond.
The daughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden got engaged to financier Christopher O’Neill with a stunning 4-carat Asscher cut diamond on a pavé diamond band in 2013. She often wears the modern, sleek ring between two skinny diamond pavé bands.
The streamlined Asscher cut speaks to the contemporary bride who prefers a more minimalist, refined style.
Get the look:
Briony Raymond Asscher Cut Diamond Ring, price upon request, brionyraymond.com
Kwiat Vintage Style Engagement Ring with Asscher Diamond and Side Stones, price upon request, kwiat.com
Single Stone Wyler Ring, $24,000, singlestone.com
Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry, Asscher Cut Baguette Band And A Half Engagement Ring, from $40,000, stephaniegottlieb.com
Princess Beatrice’s Three-Stone Diamond Engagement Ring (Married 2020)
When Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi was ready to pop the question to Princess Beatrice, Prince Andrew’s daughter, he knew he wanted something distinctive, a design that reflected his bride-to-be’s style and their love story, so he went to British jeweler Shaun Leane.
Leane said at the time that Mozzi was very involved in the process, and they collaborated for several months before the 2019 engagement.
The resulting ring is an instant family heirloom. The 3-carat round center stone, responsibly sourced from Botswana, is surrounded by tapered baguette diamonds on a pavé diamond band. The ring blends Art Deco and Victorian aesthetics and is truly unique.
Get the look:
Graff Promise round diamond engagement ring, price upon request, graff.com
Lang Antiques Mid-Century Diamond Engagement Ring, $12,750, langantiques.com
Jennie Kwon Melody Ring, from $3,800, jenniekwondesigns.com
Tiffany & Co Three-Stone Engagement Ring, price upon request, tiffany.com
De Beers DB Classic Round Brilliant and Tapered Diamond Ring, from $105,500, debeers.com
Duchess Meghan Markle‘s Responsibly-Sourced Cushion-Cut Diamond Royal Engagement Ring (Married 2018)
Prince Harry didn’t want one of the royal family’s rings for his great love, Meghan Markle, but rather, he designed something that reflected their story, the past and the present.
Harry sourced a 2.5-carat diamond in Botswana, where the couple shared their first vacation, and went to Cleave & Company (one of the Queen’s preferred jewelers) to create a three-stone ring using the cushion cut stone. The ring is flanked by two round brilliant-cut diamonds from the late Princess Diana’s jewelry collection.
A true romantic, Prince Harry got down on one knee when he proposed with the ring on the grounds of Kensington Palace in 2017. Like so many today, the Duchess of Sussex updated her original ring design. The couple went to New York jeweler Lorraine Schwartz to reset the stones on a thin micro-pavé diamond band for some extra sparkle.
Whether the high-profile royal sparked the trend or not remains to be seen, but the cushion cut diamond is in high demand today.
Get the look:
De Beers Old Bond Street Cushion-Cut Diamond Ring, $127,000, debeers.com
Jessica McCormack Cushion and Heart Diamond Three-Stone Ring, £55,000, jessicamccormack.com
Kwiat Cushion Diamond with Side Stones, price upon request, kwiat.com
Fred Leighton Cushion Cut Engagement Ring, price upon request, fredleighton.com
Lauren Addison Cushion Brilliant Diamond Ring, price upon request, laurenaddison.com
Princess Grace‘s Emerald-Cut Royal Engagement Ring (Married 1956)
When America’s beloved screen star Grace Kelly wed Monaco’s Prince Rainier in 1956, the story was hailed around the world as a fairytale romance: A classic American beauty is swept away by Prince Charming. Like all good fairytales, there’s a stunning jewel.
The prince proposed with an elegant, eye-catching 10.48-carat emerald cut diamond and platinum ring flanked by baguettes designed by Cartier. The prince later gave her a diamond eternity band with alternating diamonds and rubies, a nod to his country’s flag.
The elegant ring inspired countless brides in years to come, and the emerald cut is still considered one of the most classic, refined diamond shapes and never goes out of favor.
Get the look:
Kwiat Emerald Cut with Baguette Side Stones, price upon request, kwiat.com
Ashley Zhang Lilian Engagement Ring, $14,950, ashleyzhang.com
Eva Fehren The Infinity Ring, price upon request, evafehren.com
Lang Antiques Mid-Century Emerald-Cut Diamond Ring, $50,000, langantiques.com
Lauren Addison Emerald Cut Ring with Trapezoid Side Stones, price upon request, laurenaddison.com
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark Has a Grand Toi et Moi Royal Engagement Ring (Married 1967)
The heir to the Danish crown, Queen Margrethe, fell in love with French diplomat Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, and lucky for her, he had regal taste. In 1966, he presented her with a magnificent Van Cleef & Arpels ring comprised of two matching cushion cut diamonds, each about six carats, on a yellow gold band. It’s a grand Toi et Moi design.
A true love match, Queen Margrethe’s husband passed away in 2018, and she continues to wear the diamond ring that has graced her finger since their engagement.
Get the look:
Foundrae Forever and Always a Pair, from $22,000, foundrae.com
Jemma Wynne Bespoke Asscher Cut Diamond Open Ring, price upon request, jemmawynne.com
Round cut brilliant diamond bypass ring, $61,840, sothebys.com
Jessica McCormack Signature Emerald Cut Diamond Button Back Toi et Moi Ring, £35,000, jessicamccormack.com
Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry, 2-stone ring, from $55,000, stephaniegottlieb.com
Messika Toi & Moi Diamond Ring, price upon request, messika.com
Sophie Bille Brahe Celestine Amour, $39,000, sophiebillebrahe.com
Anita Ko Princess Eternity Ring, $4,775, anitako.com
Zara Tindall’s Round Diamond Ring (Married 2011)
Queen Elizabeth’s granddaughter married the longtime love of her life, Mike Tindall, with a ring that he designed just for her. He proposed to Zara Tindall with a royal engagement ring, featuring a round diamond center stone is nestled on a platinum pave diamond split shank band.
Where you can get the look:
Cartier Diamond Ballerine Engagement Ring, $33,000, sothebys.com
Greenwich St. Jewelers Rivington Setting, from $3,100, greenwichjewelers.com
Hamilton 1912 Split Shank Ring Setting, from $7,195, hamiltonjewelers.com
Jade Trau Nora Ring, setting from $6,350, jadetrau.com
Mimi So Madrid 2-Row Diamond Engagement Ring Setting, from $5,900, mimiso.com
Princess Sofia of Sweden Has a Double Split Band Diamond Ring (Married 2014)
The girl gets her prince, and more. The smitten Prince Carl Philip surprised his beautiful model then girlfriend, Sofia Hellqvist, with a ring that he designed himself featuring a round center stone with a micro pave diamond halo on a double-split diamond band. The ring is enhanced with a super sparkling diamond wedding band. Dreams really do come true!
Get the look:
Boghossian Merveilles Diamond Engagement Ring, price upon request, boghossianjewels.com
Greenwich St. Jewelers Sullivan Engagement Ring Setting, from $4,500, greenwichjewelers.com
Fred Leighton Round Diamond Engagement Ring with 3-Row Band, price upon request, fredleighton.com
Mimi So Astor Diamond Halo Engagement Ring Setting, from $6,000, mimiso.com
Schlumberger by Tiffany & Co Ribbon Engagement Ring, price upon request, tiffany.com
