Fancy wearing royal jewelry inspired by that of the queens and princesses? Well, you can.
The wait is over. A new king has been crowned!
Nearly nine months after Queen Elizabeth II passed away, King Charles III’s coronation (officially) took place in May 2023. And boy, this historic moment was EVERYTHING!
A mix of royals, celebrities, world leaders and dignitaries flocked to Westminster Abbey to witness the joint coronation of King Charles and his consort, Princess Camilla, serving us some chic, well-thought-out looks. Besides stately robes and elegant gowns, illustrious jewels played a starring role (duh!) And all the dazzling bling made us want to get into the coronation spirit and flaunt some royal jewelry of our own.
NGL, while it would be nice to feel the heavy weight of those diamond tiaras on our heads and finally know what it’s like to wear a bejeweled necklace that weighs over 100 carats, it would probably take several lifetimes to save up enough to purchase them. However, it’s not all bleak. There are still plenty of royal-inspired jewelry pieces you can treat yourself to.
Ahead: Shedding light on the most iconic and timeless jewelry pieces worn by royalty. Plus, shoppable lookalikes that’ll surely make you feel like a queen!
PS: You better start perfecting your royal wave.
1. Princess Diana and Kate Middleton’s Engagement Ring
This royal engagement ring has developed a cult following of its own.
True royal fans would know that Kate Middleton’s iconic engagement ring previously belonged to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana. But did you know that Princess D hand-picked the ring herself?
The heirloom features a 12-carat Ceylon sapphire framed by a halo of 14 diamonds set in 18-carat white gold. (Yes, it’s as glamorous as it sounds!) Back in 2010, it sent the world into a sapphire frenzy. And 13 years later, the ring still stuns and inspires.
We recommend you wear your Princess-Diana-inspired ring solo or team it with royal blue sapphire earrings for a coordinated look.
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2. Meghan Markle’s Engagement Ring
When a royal puts a ring on it, it usually comes with a heavy dose of history and sentiment, and Meghan Markle’s three-stone engagement ring is full of it!
Rumor has it that Prince Harry had the sparkler custom-made using a cushion-cut diamond ethically sourced from Botswana, where he and Meghan first vacationed together. The center stone is flanked by two round diamonds, which Harry retrieved from Princess Diana’s jewelry collection, to bring his mother into his poignant love story in some way.
No, we’re not crying… you are!
3. Queen Elizabeth III’s Three-Strand Pearl Necklace
Her Majesty was famous for a lot of reasons, but even more so for her lustrous three-strand pearl necklace that became a part of her signature look.
Made with graduated freshwater pearls and a diamond clasp, this piece was gifted to her by her father, King George VI.
And according to the queen’s former assistant private secretary, she wore it almost every day.
Isn’t it super elegant and stunning?
4. Camilla’s Engagement Ring
Yet another precious family heirloom we love!
In 2005, King Charles took a second chance at love and proposed to Princess Camilla (ahem ahem, now Queen Consort) with a stunning Art Deco diamond ring that once belonged to his grandmother, aka the Queen Mother. The extravagant sparkler showcases a 5-carat emerald-cut diamond at its center with an impressive trio of baguette diamonds on either side. Calling it beautiful would be an understatement!
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5. Kate Middleton’s Pearl Drops
We’re calling it the reigning Kate Effect!
The Princess of Wales has proven time and again that dressing up or down is super easy when you’ve got a pair or two of pearl drops on you.
A staple in her jewelry box, Kate has worn pearl and diamond drops for some of the most significant moments in her life, including the first official photo session of Prince George. Royal fans have spotted her wearing pearl drops even with jeans.
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6. Princess Diana and Meghan Markle’s Aquamarine ring
Remember when Meghan Markle stunned in a white, off-shoulder gown at the 2022 Ripple of Hope Award Gala? While you may not remember the exact outfit, we bet you recall seeing this massive, statement-making aquamarine ring, which also happens to be one of Princess Diana’s most memorable jewels.
While the Duchess of Sussex may have gravitated toward the bauble for a pop of color recently, this wasn’t her first time wearing it. Meghan first debuted the 13-carat sparkler on her wedding day, both as a nod to her late mother-in-law and her something blue.
Charmed by the happy blues? Get your hands on this aquamarine ring RN. And if you want to amp up the glam quotient even further, we’ve got a whole lotta blue diamond earrings you’ll love to pair with your look.
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7. Queen Elizabeth II-Inspired Diamond Engagement Ring
The Queen’s engagement ring—given to her by Prince Philip in 1947—will go down in history as one of ‘the greats.’ Its sparkling beauty is forever etched in our memories. Sourced from a tiara that once belonged to Philip’s mother, Princess Alice of Greece, her sparkler is essentially a solitaire ring. It showcases a round 3-carat center stone flanked by clusters of smaller diamonds (10 total) and set in timeless platinum. This sparkler certainly stood the test of time because Her Majesty is said to have worn it every day until her death in September 2022.
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8. Princess Eugenie’s Pink Sapphire Ring
Jack Brooksbank popped the question to Princess Eugenie in front of a volcano in Nicaragua with a gorgeous pinkish-orange padparadscha sapphire surrounded by a halo of diamonds. Think you’ve seen it before? That’s because it bears a close resemblance to the ruby ring her father, Prince Andrew, gave her mother, Sarah Ferguson when he proposed to her in 1986.
Padparadscha sapphires are incredibly rare. Nonetheless, if you’re drawn to the pink hue of Eugenie’s ring, you can treat yourself to the next best thing: a pink sapphire. And guess what, we’ve found you a pink sapphire engagement ring that looks just like hers!
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9. Princess Anne’s Oval Sapphire Ring
At this point, it’s safe to assume that sapphires mean more to the royal family than you would think.
Contrary to popular belief, it was not Princess D but Princess Anne who broke the royal mold with her two blue sapphire engagement rings. Of the two, her second engagement ring, from Sir Timothy Laurence, is perhaps the most popular one as no ring like it had been sported by a royal before. It features a cabochon-cut sapphire with three diamonds on each side set in yellow gold.
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10. Queen Elizabeth II’s Emerald Necklace
Worn by Queen Elizabeth and now Kate Middleton, this emerald and diamond necklace is a royal possession we’ve all gushed over since we laid our eyes on it.
But did you know that Her Majesty inherited it? Yes, just like other royal jewels, this one too has been passed down through generations. The necklace features nine Cambridge emeralds and a part of a Cullinan diamond (the largest diamond ever found). This stunner was originally owned by Queen Mary’s grandmother, who wore it to the Delhi Durbar to mark the coronation of her husband, King George V.
PS: If you can’t resist the lure of diamonds and emeralds (LBR, who can?), our pear emerald and diamond necklace will help you get there without breaking the bank.
FAQ
Q1. What jewels are in King Charles’s crown?
King Charles’s crown featured precious gemstones like diamonds, rubies, sapphires, garnets and tourmalines.
Q2. Who crowned King Charles III?
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby placed the crown on King Charles III’s head at the formal coronation ceremony which took place on May 6th, 2023.
Q3. How many diamonds are there in King Charles’s crown?
The Imperial State Crown King Charles wore to the coronation service had 2,868 diamonds!
Q4. What is the most valuable royal jewelry in history?
Kate Middleton’s Nizam of Hyderabad necklace, worth US$80 million, is considered to be the most valuable royal jewelry in history.
