15. Diana Chose A Unique Engagement Ring That Caused A Bit of a Scandal
Diana was given a choice of engagement rings to choose from. Some of them were from a catalog, while others were family heirlooms. She was asked to pick a ring at random, without knowing which rings were from the jeweler Garrard, and which were vintage. Out of all of the rings, Diana picked a massive blue sapphire ring. The jewelry modeled the ring after Queen Victoria’s sapphire ring, which was her “something blue” on her wedding day. Diana’s choice was considered to be a bit of a scandal because the ring she chose was one of the most expensive. It was available to purchase by anyone, even if they were outside of the royal family.
The ring cost roughly $60,000 at the time. So, obviously, not just anyone could afford it. But there were plenty of people out there who purchased the ring, and replicas soon followed. Giving Diana the choice of rings was meant to be a “test”, and apparently, she failed. However, they shouldn’t have given it to her as an option if they didn’t like it! The ring quickly became a huge hit with the public. It was eventually inherited by Diana’s son, Prince William, and he gave it to his wife Kate Middleton in 2010.