Prince Charles went to British jeweler Garrard to pick out a few rings for Princess Diana to choose from, and the blue sapphire ring was one of them. The ring was said to resemble a brooch that Prince Albert had commissioned Garrard to make for Queen Victoria, which she wore on her wedding day. The creative director of Garrard, Sara Prentice told Vogue that it “was said to be a strong influence on Prince Charles when he came to Garrard to purchase a ring for Lady Diana.”
Despite the royal connection, the ring was scrutinized and criticized by the royal family for not being a bespoke creation, according to Elle. The ring was technically available for anyone to purchase from Garrard’s catalog and traditionalists found it unworthy of the engagement.
The Duchess of Cornwall’s engagement ring adhered to tradition, in that sense.”The Queen Mother was first seen wearing the royal jewel in the 1980s after receiving it from King George VI,” Maxwell Stone of Steven Stone told Express. He continued, saying that Camilla’s emerald-cut diamond surrounded by diamond baguettes “is traditional, while Diana’s sapphire ring is bold and broke royal tradition at the time … Now, as Kate Middleton has inherited Diana’s ring, it’s become a new royal heirloom in its own right.”
