Former Royal Butler Reveals the "Gentlemanly" Gesture Jack Brooksbank Made When He Chose Princess Eugenie's "Rare" Pink Engagement Ring

A closeup of Princess Eugenie's hand wearing a pink engagement ring; Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank hugging on their engagement announcement day

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank announced their engagement on January 22, 2018, and eight years later, former royal butler Grant Harrold is sharing some especially sweet details about the couple.

Eugenie and Jack dated for seven years before he popped the question with a unique padparadscha sapphire surrounded by diamonds. Speaking on behalf of Slots Temple, Harrold says the story behind Eugenie's ring is "really sweet," as Brooksbank was inspired by Eugenie's mother, Sarah Ferguson's, ruby cluster ring.

"Jack went for a pink sapphire which is obviously quite a rare stone," the former butler to King Charles shares. "Jack has said that he was influenced by Eugenie’s mother’s engagement ring, which is a lovely nod to his mother-in-law."

Princess Eugenie's hand showing her engagement ring — Princess Eugenie's engagement ring features a rare pink sapphire.

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank at the altar on their wedding day — Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank in October 2018.

"It’s certainly a very nice gesture—it’s very gentlemanly," Harrold continues. "It’s amazing how much effort and thought he’s put into the engagement ring."

Padparadscha sapphires feature a pinkish-coral hue, and Brooksbank told the BBC at the time of their engagement that he actually proposed without the ring in hand. "I found a ring in a jewelers and then proposed to Eugenie without it and came back and we designed the diamonds around this padparadscha sapphire," he said.

"And what's amazing about it is that it changes color from every different angle that you look at it, which is what I think of Eugenie," Brooksbank added. "That she changes colour and is just so amazing."

Along with resembling Sarah Ferguson's ruby and diamond ring from Andrew Mounbatten-Windsor, Eugenie's is a similar style to Princess Kate's blue sapphire ring, once owned by Princess Diana.

“We know there is a history of the Royal Family opting for sapphires," Harrold adds.

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Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.