After Princess Diana’s tragic death in 1997, her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, chose sentimental items to remember their mother by.
Reports suggest that Harry initially selected Diana’s iconic Garrard sapphire engagement ring, while William chose her elegant Cartier Tank Française watch. Allegedly, the brothers later exchanged their keepsakes in 2010, so William could use the ring to propose to Kate Middleton. According to the same reports, Harry later gifted the Cartier watch to Meghan Markle.
However, in his memoir Spare, released last year, Prince Harry dismissed these claims as “absolute rubbish.” He stated that William already had possession of their mother’s ring when he proposed to Kate, and Harry was never asked to part with it.
This revelation offers a new perspective on the widely circulated story about the brothers’ choices and how Diana’s cherished items became part of their lives.
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One of the most famous pieces of jewellery in history, the Garrard sapphire and diamond engagement ring was purchased by Charles for Diana in 1981. It cost £28,000 and is now valued at upwards of £300,000
Additionally, Harry said he was unaware of William’s intention to marry Kate until the engagement was publicly announced.
‘Soon after we returned to Britain the Palace announced that Willy was going to marry. November 2010,’ the Prince wrote.
‘News to me. All that time together in Lesotho, he’d never mentioned it.
‘The papers published florid stories about the moment I realised Will and Kate were well matched, the moment I appreciated the depth of their love and thus decided to gift Willy the ring I’d inherited from Mummy, the legendary sapphire, a tender moment between brothers, a bonding moment for all three of us, and absolute rubbish: none of it ever happened.’
Harry went on to deny ever asking for the piece of jewellery after Diana’s death and wrote: ‘I never gave Willy that ring because it wasn’t mine to give. He already had it. He’d asked for it after Mummy died, and I’d been more than happy to let it go.’
One of the most famous pieces of jewellery in history, the Garrard sapphire and diamond engagement ring, was purchased by Charles for Diana in 1981. It cost £28,000 and is now valued at upwards of £300,000.
The ring, inspired by Queen Victoria‘s sapphire brooch from 1840, which she wore as her ‘something blue’ on her wedding day, symbolised marriage, family and love.
When presented with various options, Diana and Charles reportedly selected this ring together, as it complemented her blue eyes.
The choice of a catalogue ring rather than a custom-designed piece broke royal tradition, making it possible for others to purchase the same engagement ring.
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William presented his fiancée Kate with the 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire, surrounded by fourteen solitaire diamonds, which was crafted by Garrard
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After Diana’s death, it was reported that Harry requested to keep his mother’s Garrard sapphire engagement ring, while William selected her Cartier Tank Française watch
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Kate has been proudly wearing Princess Diana’s ring for almost 14 years
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In his bombshell memoir, Spare, Harry alleged that William was already in possession of their mother’s ring when he proposed to Kate – so he was never asked to part with it
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Diana’s choice of a catalogue ring rather than a custom-designed piece broke royal tradition, making it possible for others to purchase the same engagement ring
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In another twist, Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell, told the Mirror that he was present when the brothers selected the items to remember their mother by.
Paul claimed: ‘Harry said to me, “I always remember holding Mummy’s hand and that ring hurting me because it was so big”.
‘And that’s why, when the boys came to Kensington Palace, I said to them, you must take something of your Mother’s. You must take something to remind yourself of your time here at Kensington Palace and your mother’s life.’
According to the former royal staffer, William asked to keep Diana’s Cartier watch, which her father had given her for her 21st birthday, while Harry chose her engagement ring, which Kate has now been wearing for nearly 14 years.
Furthermore, Paul claims that William was ‘glad with the arrangement’.
Diana wore her favorite Cartier Tank Française on multiple occasions, including a 1997 visit to London’s Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple and an appearance at the British Lung Foundation that same year.
At the time, the yellow gold watch cost £17,800. Harry later gave it to Meghan, who has worn it numerous times, usually stacked with a Cartier Love bracelet.
It’s a definite favorite from her inherited collection.