One Royal Bride Thought Her Now-Iconic Engagement Ring Was "So Gaudy," But She Didn't "Want to Appear Rude," Per Former Royal Employee
"If I had the chance again, it would be more elegant and simple."
The Royal Family is known for its unmatched jewelry collection, which includes a plethora of invaluable engagement rings. But according to one former royal employee, one royal bride actually didn't like her engagement ring very much.
In his book, A Royal Duty, Princess Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell, recalled the moments leading up to the royal's engagement to King Charles. According to Burrell, a famous jeweler "was spotted with a small attaché case" at the palace, causing speculation regarding an imminent proposal.
Per the former butler, "David Thomas, who was responsible for the upkeep of the Crown Jewels in the Jewel House at the Tower of London, had in fact brought...rings, with strict instructions not to include rubies or emeralds." Burrell also shared that Thomas's attendance seemed "far too cloak-and-dagger" for anything other than a high-profile engagement.
According to Burrell's recollection, "A selection of diamonds and sapphires was set on a tray for—oddly—The Queen's perusal. Once the monarch had made her choice, [Charles] gave his approval. Lady Diana was third in line to offer her opinion."
"A selection of diamonds and sapphires was set on a tray for—oddly—The Queen's perusal."
If Burrell's account is to be believed, Princess Diana wasn't completely responsible for selecting her now-iconic engagement ring.
"The bride-to-be accepted the selection that had effectively been made for her because she did not want to appear rude and ungrateful," Burrell wrote in his book.
He continued, "As she later told me: 'I would never have chosen something quite so gaudy. If I had the chance again, it would be more elegant and simple.'"
Princess Kate has since received Princess Diana's engagement ring.
Burrell's version of events slightly deviate from previous stories told about Princess Diana's engagement ring. As reported by Vogue, Charles showed his bride-to-be several potential rings from the jeweler Garrard, and the princess "opted for an Ceylon sapphire stone surrounded by diamonds set in white gold—which also happened to be a stock item." Basically, the design wasn't unique to the Royal Family and could've been purchased by anyone else who viewed the jeweler's catalog.
As the founder of Abelini, Nilesh Rakholia, previously told Marie Claire, "The ring, originally created by Garrard for Princess Diana, features a 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire set in 18-carat white gold and framed by 14 solitaire diamonds...Its design drew inspiration from Queen Victoria’s sapphire-and-diamond cluster brooch, a wedding gift from Prince Albert in 1840." Basically, it seems as though Diana might have had more agency over selecting her ring than Burrell gave her credit for.
It's somewhat hard to believe that Princess Diana didn't necessarily like her engagement ring very much. In the years since, the timeless ring has been passed down to Princess Kate and continues to be envied by royal fans and jewelry connoisseurs worldwide. In hindsight, perhaps it was the right selection, after all.
