Meghan Markle’s jewels: from Princess Diana’s Asprey diamond cocktail ring to Queen Elizabeth’s US$2.8 million tiara, the Duchess of Sussex has worn some of the world’s most coveted gems

Jun 7 , 2021

Meghan Markle wears Diana’s aquamarine cocktail ring, Queen Mary’s Filigree diamond bandeau tiara and yellow gold engagement ring. Photo: Reuters, AFP, @fiorese_jewelry/Instagram

Jewellery has always played a special role in Meghan Markle’s relationship with Prince Harry; in fact it first became clear the pair were serious after they were spotted wearing matching bracelets Harry picked out in Botswana.

But since then, the Duchess of Sussex – whose other official titles are the Countess of Dumbarton and Baroness Kilkeel – has had many exciting opportunities to show off items from the British royal family’s bountiful collection.

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Queen Mary’s Filigree diamond bandeau tiara

Since entering the world of the British royal family, Meghan Markle has been lucky enough to wear some of Princess Diana’s and the queen’s most precious jewellery pieces. Photo: AFP

Reportedly worth US$2.8 million, Meghan was lent this piece by Queen Elizabeth to hold her veil in place when she married Prince Harry in May 2019. The platinum and diamond tiara’s English bandeau was made in 1932 and is a flexible band of eleven interlaced ovals and pavé set with large and small diamonds.

Meghan Markle’s wedding tiara featured a central brooch of 10 diamonds dating back to 1893. Photo: Flickr

The centre is set with a detachable brooch of 10 diamonds which dates back even further to 1893, when Queen Mary married Prince George, the Duke of York. Mary left it to Queen Elizabeth in 1953 when she died.

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Yellow gold engagement ring

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after announcing their engagement. Photo: @fiorese_jewelry/Instagram

Harry popped the question with a ring designed by the queen’s chosen jewellers, Cleave and Company. Composed of three diamonds and set in white gold, the piece was unveiled to the public when the couple announced their engagement in November 2017.

Two of the diamonds came from Princess Diana’s personal collection and another five-carat gem was sourced from Botswana, where Meghan and Harry had enjoyed a holiday together. That gem alone is believed to be worth US$190,000. However by June 2019, the solid yellow gold band had been replaced with a thinner, conflict-free diamond pavé-set eternity band from jeweller Lorraine Schwartz.

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Meghan Markle’s engagement ring has been given a makeover in recent years. Photo: @meghanmarklefashion/Instagram

As baby Archie was born by then, the band paid homage to the family-of-three with Meghan’s, Archie’s and Harry’s birthstones (peridot, emerald, and sapphire, respectively) on the underside.

Diana’s cocktail ring

A newly married Duke and Duchess of Sussex leaving Windsor Castle with the ring clearly visible. Photo: Reuters

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This ring featuring a massive light blue diamond, and set on a white and yellow gold band, was first worn by Princess Diana in 1997 when she attended an auction of her own wardrobe at Christie’s.

The Princess of Wales asked Asprey to make the piece using a stone gifted to her by her friend Lucia Flecha de Lima. Harry then gave Meghan the piece – believed to be 30 carats and worth over US$140,000 – and she first wore it to attend her second reception hosted at Frogmore House.

A close up of Princess Diana’s incredible, light blue diamond cocktail ring worn by Meghan on her wedding day. Photo: Pinterest

The duchess then wore the ring to attend a reception and dinner hosted by King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u of Tonga.

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Princess Diana’s butterfly earrings

Harry and Meghan at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia. Photo: AP

Princess Diana first wore the yellow gold earrings, set with diamonds and blue sapphires, on a royal visit to Canada with Prince Charles in 1986. And the studs come as part of a suite. Meghan opted to wear these earrings for the first time in Sydney, Australia, soon after announcing her pregnancy, but has never worn them with the matching necklace.

A young Princess Diana in the butterfly earrings and matching necklace that are now part of Meghan’s collection. Photo: @parrotgirl55/Pinterest

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Princess Diana’s gold bracelet with cabochon

Prince Harry drinks kava as his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex looks on during a farewell ceremony in Fiji in 2018. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

Meghan also debuted this yellow gold cuff bracelet, featuring two large sapphire cabochons and diamond detailing, on the Australia tour.

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Diana’s gold cuff bracelet. Photo: Handout

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

The most expensive piece Meghan has worn was her ‘something borrowed’ Filigree tiara for her wedding to Prince Harry that featured 125-year-old diamonds
A diamond worth US$190,000 from Botswana where the couple went on holiday twinkles on her engagement ring, which has been updated with Archie’s birthstone