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How Prince Harry selflessly gave up Diana's engagement ring for William and Kate
29 April 2021, 12:14
Prince Harry's sacrifice meant Kate Middleton could have Princess Diana's iconic sapphire ring when Prince William proposed.
As Prince William and Kate Middleton celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary, we take a look back at the selfless sacrifice Prince Harry made so the Duchess of Cambridge could have Princess Diana's famous engagement ring.
When Prince William decided to propose to Kate Middleton in 2010, his younger brother offered up their late mother's engagement ring, which was technically his at the time.
READ MORE: Prince William and Kate Middleton mark 10th wedding anniversary with new portraits
Following the tragic death of Diana in 1997, Prince Charles gave the boys a chance to chose pieces of their mother's jewellery to keep.
While William chose to keep Diana's gold Cartier watch, Harry chose the sapphire engagement ring which Diana chose after Charles popped the question.
But when William proposed to Kate in 2010, Harry decided it would be fitting for her to have the engagement ring.
Diana's former assistant Paul Burrell has previously explained: "Harry said to him, 'Wouldn't it be fitting if she had mummy’s ring?'
"Then one day that ring will be sat on the throne of England. Harry gave up his precious treasure."
He added: "His one thing he kept from his mother, he gave to his brother. That's selfless, kind and exactly who Diana was."
The 18K white gold ring has a 12-carat oval blue sapphire in the centre, and is surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds.
When Harry proposed to Meghan Markle in 2017, he designed the engagement ring himself, using a stone sourced from Botswana and others taken from Diana's jewellery collection.
At the time of the engagement, Harry said that the use of Diana's diamonds meant she was "on this crazy journey with us".
