Jewellers reveal why Meghan's three-stone engagement ring has been so impactful
The 'Meghan effect' is still being felt in the wedding sector to this day
Roughly this time six years ago, Prince Harry was quietly proposing to his girlfriend Meghan Markle at their home in London. The couple were able to enjoy the engagement bubble with their family and close friends, before announcing the big news to the world on 27 November 2017.
Stepping out for a photocall at Kensington Palace's The Sunken Garden, which Harry's late mother Princess Diana was particularly fond of, the lovebirds held hands and giggled while Meghan proudly showed off her bespoke engagement ring.
"It's beautiful and he designed it, it's incredible," the actress said of her husband-to-be in their BBC interview.
As the couple's sixth engagement anniversary approaches, we take a deep dive into the Duchess's exquisite ring, estimated to cost around £260,000, and find out how the ‘Meghan effect' is still in full force.
The ring’s sentimentality
The ring was created by Cleave and Company, court jewellers and medallists to the late Queen. But Harry put a great deal of planning and thought into the design.
He presented his bride with a trilogy ring featuring a large central diamond that he had sourced from Botswana, where the couple had previously holidayed together. The large stone was flanked by smaller diamonds from his late mother's collection, "to make sure that she's with us on this crazy journey together," Harry told the BBC.
"It's so important to me to know that she's a part of this with us," Meghan said. "It's incredibly special to be able to have this, which sort of links where [Harry comes] from and Botswana, which is important to us, it's perfect."
Alexandra Michell, gemmologist at Prestige Pawnbrokers of Channel 4's Posh Pawn, tells me it was a "very chic choice" from Harry.
"Adding two side stones from Diana's personal jewellery collection really brings in an emphasis on his connection to his mother and creates a sentimental piece for Meghan to wear. Perhaps there is also some symbolic meaning in the number of stones: Meghan, Diana, and Harry."
While three-stone engagement rings are not as common as solitaire or halo rings, they are still a popular choice – and have a very sentimental meaning. "They symbolise the past, present, and future of a couple's relationship, making them a poignant choice for many," says Gary Ingram, co-founder and managing director of The Diamond Store.
The shape and cut
In terms of the shape of the central diamond, Harry opted for an exquisite cushion-cut stone, which is a square diamond with rounded edges. All the diamond experts that we spoke to came to the same conclusion…