Royal Sapphire Engagement Rings of Europe

When Prince William placed the late Princess Diana’s sapphire engagement ring on Kate Middleton’s finger, the ring undoubtedly became one the most famous sapphire rings in the world. However, while diamonds are still the traditional choice for most royals, this is not the first time that the royal families of Europe have favoured the coloured gemstone for engagement jewellery.

Along with Princess Diana and the Duchess of Cambridge, the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, received a beautiful Kashmir sapphire engagement ring from the Duke of York, who later became King George VI. The striking ring also had accent diamonds for added brilliance, although during the 1950s the Queen Consort abandoned this ring and started wearing a giant pearl ring instead. The Queen Mother’s granddaughter, Princess Anne, was also presented with two sapphire engagement pieces during her marriages. Her first ring, from her first husband Mark Philips, was a classic three-stone piece with a blue sapphire in the centre flanked by two diamonds, while her second was an unusual bezel set cabochon sapphire with a diamond trio on each side.

In 1995, the Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece presented Princess Marie-Chantal with a stunning sapphire and diamond engagement ring when he proposed on a ski lift in Switzerland. The royal engagement ring featured a cabochon blue sapphire with a heart-shaped diamond for a romantic finish. Continuing the trend of royal sapphire engagement rings is Princess Tatiana Blatnik, who was given a custom-designed blue sapphire ring surrounded by accent diamonds by Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark in 2010. Sapphires have long been considered the stone of royalty, and it was between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, in particular, that sapphire engagement rings became very much sought after by royals. The traditional velvety-blue colour of the gemstone came to be seen as a symbol of the heavens, something that the intensely religious Charlemagne, the founding father of France and Germany and the first ruler of the Western European Empire after the fall of the Roman Empire, strongly believed. Charlemagne even owned a sacred amulet, which held a relic of the True Cross between two sapphires, so convinced was he that sapphires not only symbolised heaven but promised eternal salvation.

It hardly seems surprising that the royal families of Europe have frequently turned to the sapphire, above all other gemstones, when looking for that eye-catching piece of jewellery. We shall have to wait for the next royal engagement to see if the sapphire will continue its royal trend.

Frederick Holm is staff writer for of the F&L Designer Guides, compiled and written to help consumers choose a unique engagement ring design. From a diamond to sapphire engagement rings from a princess cut to a platinum band, we have ideas and opinions covering all the options. Offering advice, tips and suggestions on how to choose that perfect ring, F&L will accompany you on every stage of your search to find the right designer.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.