The Duchess of Sussex's ring collection has been a hot topic since she announced her engagement to Prince Harry in 2017. Not only has Meghan not been afraid to make tweaks to the original design and add extra bands to her stack, but she has also experimented with "non-traditional" etiquette – as proven in her new Netflix series. A still captured from season two of With Love, Meghan shows the royal opening a bottle of wine, with the camera zooming in on her left hand. Jewellery expert Maxwell Stone from Steven Stone spotted how she has switched up her rings once again.
Ring etiquette
"Meghan often chooses to wear her engagement ring stack in a non-traditional way, a subtle yet meaningful reflection of both her and Prince Harry’s willingness to break from royal convention. Their choice to embrace individuality over tradition mirrors their bold, modern approach to life and their roles beyond the royal family," he said, referring to the fact that she stacked her rings in an unconventional way.
© InstagramDuring filming, her trilogy engagement ring was sitting at the base, followed by the eternity band in the middle, and her wedding band stacked on top. Traditionally, Meghan's Welsh gold wedding band should be closest to her heart, followed by the engagement ring and any further eternity bands.
© GettyHowever, Meghan has tried out a variety of combinations, and Seven Stone noted that while the etiquette suggests a certain order, it is ultimately up to personal preference. While scooping tea leaves in a photo shared by her lifestyle brand, As Ever, the Duchess of Sussex once again chose the unconventional arrangement, while she placed her eternity ring at the base, followed by her gold band and engagement ring on top during Trooping the Colour in 2019.
Reasons for ring changes
It's also possible that Meghan may have accidentally changed the order of her rings while removing them at home, or it could be a practical reason.
Emma Fox, PR Coordinator at Pandora UK, said it is common for people to lose jewellery in colder weather. "To make sure you don't lose your precious jewels on your travels, check that your jewellery fits properly, especially during cold weather when our fingers naturally contract. If you find your rings are a bit loose, try stacking some to make them a bit tighter and more secure," she suggested.
Meghan Markle's rings
Taking a deep dive into the Duchess' iconic ring stack, which he estimates to be worth a total of £210k, Maxwell continued: "Prince Harry proposed to Meghan Markle in 2017 with a custom-designed three-stone engagement ring featuring a 3-carat cushion-cut diamond from Botswana and two smaller diamonds from Princess Diana’s jewellery collection.
"Over a year later, Meghan updated the ring by replacing the original yellow gold band with a diamond-studded one. The ring features high-quality stones with exceptional clarity, thus, I’d value it at approximately £120,000."
© Karwai TangIt was previously revealed that the change was initiated by Prince Harry, who wanted celebrity jeweller Lorraine Schwartz to resize and reset the ring to coincide with their first anniversary and the birth of their son, Prince Archie. Following royal tradition, Meghan wears a Welsh gold wedding band, which was crafted from the same nugget of gold used for other royal rings, such as the Princess of Wales and the late Queen Elizabeth II.
"Worth around £10,000, it was made by Cleave & Company – the jeweller who also created Meghan’s engagement ring," Maxwell estimated, before commenting on her "unique" eternity ring gifted by Prince Harry in 2019.
"Crafted with conflict-free diamonds, the ring holds special meaning as it features the birthstones of Meghan, Archie, and Harry – peridot, emerald, and sapphire – discreetly set on the underside. Each stone symbolises a unique aspect of their family bond, including protection, empowerment, and affection. I’d estimate it to be worth £80,000."
