Prince William and Kate Middleton are engaged!

[AGBF]

Princess Anne became the Princess Royal, but I'm not sure she was conferred that title upon her wedding, I think it came at a different time.

Princess Anne did not become The Princess Royal until many years after her marriage. Only the eldest daughter of a monarch can be named Princess Royal and then she retains the title for her entire lifetime. I believe that when the Princess Anne was born there was already a living Princess Royal. (I will now go look this up.) If that was, indeed, the case it would not be seemly to appoint Anne as Princess Royal as soon as the former Princess Royal died since it is not a title to which one accedes automatically upon the death of the former title holder.

Deb/AGBF

 

[April20]

The lovely couple...

He is not nearly as cute as he used to be.......

 

[Gailey]

Deb, you seem to be much more well read on this than I am (ashamed to say). What is your feeling about my earlier point about a previous son of an existing Prince of Wales getting married?

 

[vc10um]

Good for them but I wish she had a new ring. Diana's ring as a RHR for sentiment but her own new ER. Something more modern.

I agree! Maybe I'm just cold and dead inside, but Di's ring as her ER just doesn't do it for me Maybe it is the whole divorce and related events that somehow "taint" in my mind? I don't know.... I do think she is a beautiful, intelligent, and classy gal and hope that the ring is what SHE wanted. That's all that matters in the end!

MagsyMay, I'm totally with you on that one. Being a child of divorce, I would NEVER have wanted my mother's engagement ring for my own! I do have it, and will eventually set the diamond into a pendant once I find one I like, but to me, there's just bad karma associated with that ring...ESPECIALLY with such a messy messy divorce.

But best wishes to the both of them!

 

[Gailey]

Good for them but I wish she had a new ring. Diana's ring as a RHR for sentiment but her own new ER. Something more modern.

I agree! Maybe I'm just cold and dead inside, but Di's ring as her ER just doesn't do it for me Maybe it is the whole divorce and related events that somehow "taint" in my mind? I don't know.... I do think she is a beautiful, intelligent, and classy gal and hope that the ring is what SHE wanted. That's all that matters in the end!

MagsyMay, I'm totally with you on that one. Being a child of divorce, I would NEVER have wanted my mother's engagement ring for my own! I do have it, and will eventually set the diamond into a pendant once I find one I like, but to me, there's just bad karma associated with that ring...ESPECIALLY with such a messy messy divorce.

But best wishes to the both of them!

With respect VC, Kate Middleton is not the product of a divorce. William has clearly grown up to be a well adjusted young man, who obviously feels very differently about this ring.

It may well be that even if Kate had niggling doubts about having Diana's ring as her engagement ring, perhaps she saw how strongly it represented to William a way of keeping his mother as part of this important part of his life, and because she obviously loves him and respects his opinion, felt differently.

For the record, I don't think for one second she felt as you would have done.

My parents also divorced, so I sympathise with you.

 

[Eldiva]

Congrats to the happy couple, Kate is gorgeous!! Diana would be proud!

 

[vc10um]

Good for them but I wish she had a new ring. Diana's ring as a RHR for sentiment but her own new ER. Something more modern.

I agree! Maybe I'm just cold and dead inside, but Di's ring as her ER just doesn't do it for me Maybe it is the whole divorce and related events that somehow "taint" in my mind? I don't know.... I do think she is a beautiful, intelligent, and classy gal and hope that the ring is what SHE wanted. That's all that matters in the end!

MagsyMay, I'm totally with you on that one. Being a child of divorce, I would NEVER have wanted my mother's engagement ring for my own! I do have it, and will eventually set the diamond into a pendant once I find one I like, but to me, there's just bad karma associated with that ring...ESPECIALLY with such a messy messy divorce.

But best wishes to the both of them!

With respect VC, Kate Middleton is not the product of a divorce. William has clearly grown up to be a well adjusted young man, who obviously feels very differently about this ring.

It may well be that even if Kate had niggling doubts about having Diana's ring as her engagement ring, perhaps she saw how strongly it represented to William a way of keeping his mother as part of this important part of his life, and because she obviously loves him and respects his opinion, felt differently.

For the record, I don't think for one second she felt as you would have done.

My parents also divorced, so I sympathise with you.

Gailey, I realize it's somewhat apples to oranges, but I would feel the same way about a ring coming from my FI's family, had it been the product of a divorced marriage.

I am glad that she is able to accept the ring for the gesture that it is and the sentiment it holds on William's part, which I truly do believe is as pure and beautiful as they come. She is a better woman than I in that respect. Perhaps I too would have the same perspective were I not a child of divorce. But perhaps not.

I do think, however, that divorce or not, I would have loved to have it as a RHR!

 

[Blackpaw]

Having a closer look at the ring, it looks like maybe its been reset?

It appears to be in a white metal, when i had thought it was yellow gold? or maybe the flashbulbs are confusing me

 

[Pandora II]

Prince William and Prince Harry both use 'Wales' as a surname.

It is likely that he will be made a Duke on his wedding day. Charles is currently Duke of Cornwall but this is a title that passes in a weird way... it can only pass to the heir apparent if they are the son of the Sovereign at the time of the Sovereign's death. It cannot pass to the grandson of the monarch. But if the Duke of Cornwall dies without issue then the title automatically passes to any living brother (in age order obviously). If the Sovereign has no sons then the title is held by the crown until a reigning Sovereign has a male heir apparent. So, William can only become both Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall at the same time if the Queen is dead... anyone followed that?

Once Charles becomes King the title Prince of Wales will probably go to William as heir apparent (who must be male) as well as the title of Earl of Cheshire. The title is a creation not an automatic inheritance but it would be very odd for it not to be given. There have been very many Princes of Wales - the tradition of it going to the heir apparent started in 1300 or thereabouts IIRC. The holder must also be living.

I used to work in the House of Lords so these kind of things were fairly common problems - used to be a nightmare working out who came higher than who for events!

Kate's name is Catherine with a 'C' not a 'K'.

Personally I would have liked her to have had her own e-ring and had Diana's made into a necklace for the wedding day. I just feel that Diana and Charles had one of the least happy and negative marriage in history and the ring would have bad connotations. But William obviously has positive thoughts associated with it and Kate and he will make it their own.

I do like Kate and actually the ring looks gorgeous on her. I was not however a fan of Diana in any way - I'm a Camilla fan. She has always been Charles's true love and Diana should not in her position have washed their dirty linen in public. Camilla has always behaved impeccably in public, as has Kate - weirdly I found photos a few years ago of Lady Camilla Fane when she and Charles were dating and she looked very like Diana in them.

Apparently the Queen wants all her grandchildren to date for at least 5 years before marriage to ensure that no-one is blown away by a 'fairy-tale' and have a firm grasp on what they would be letting themselves in for as well as seeing if they are romantically compatible.

I have a good feeling about this wedding.

ETA: Princess Anne was given the title Princess Royal in 1987. It's held by an eldest daughter but can only be held by one person at a time. The previous holder was Princess Mary - eldest daughter of George V who died in 1965, hence why the Queen was never the Princess Royal as she became the Sovereign before Mary's death.

Oh, and the sapphire is not a stone from the crown jewels - it was chosen by Diana from a selection offered by Garrards who are the Royal Jewellers. I very much doubt it is precision cut - far too valuable to waste the material on perfect crown angles! The colour is glorious in the right light but looks terrible in lots of photos - but heck 18cts... wow!

 

[Maisie]

Couple of screen grabs of the ring. It is indeed white gold or platinum....

 

[that_someone_special]

More pictures in this thread.. (end, and next page) https://www.pricescope.com/forum/jewelry-pieces/royal-jewels-t73838-7110.html

 

[bebe]

He gave her Dianas ring!!!! According to Sky

This brought tears to my eyes. I'm happy for both of them and so very pleased he gave her his mom's ER. Perfect.

Can't wait for the wedding !

 

[hlmr]

I love them together!! It will be nice to have royal wedding next year. I think it is nice that he proposed with Diana's ring. I'll bet he cleared it with Kate first.

I wonder who Harry will end up with? I find him more appealing as he gets older too!

 

[TravelingGal]

I just think it's funny that the press keeps calling it a "HUGE" sapphire. PS has spoiled me...I keep thinking, it is?

 

[AGBF]

I wonder who Harry will end up with? I find him more appealing as he gets older too!

As long as he stays out of Nazi uniforms. That was a major turn-off for me. It kind of screamed, "I am a moron!".

Deb

 

[hlmr]

I wonder who Harry will end up with? I find him more appealing as he gets older too!

As long as he stays out of Nazi uniforms. That was a major turn-off for me. It kind of screamed, "I am a moron!".

Deb

I totally agree!! I had forgotten about that nasty incident. He takes being a bad boy to extremes.

 

[hlmr]

I just saw part of an interview of Prince William and Kate. They are very cute together, and he said he wanted Kate to have his Mom' s ring so that in a way, she could be a part of their excitement and new life together. I am sure he misses her very much, and it is nice that Kate appears to be content with this ring choice. I am sure she will have many rings over the years, but this seems to be his way of bringing his Mom and his wife to be together. Very touching.

 

[HopeDream]

Congrats to them!

If I recall correctly, there was a bit of a kerfuffle when that ring was first chosen.
Charles had Garrads bring a tray of their finest rings to Diana, so she could pick one out that she liked. Unfortunately the sapphire ring she had chosen had actually allready been advertised in the Garrads Christmas catalogue, so everyone knew how much it was worth - Scandal!!!

 

[Blackpaw]

I wonder who Harry will end up with? I find him more appealing as he gets older too!

As long as he stays out of Nazi uniforms. That was a major turn-off for me. It kind of screamed, "I am a moron!".

Deb

haha, to me that kind of screamed "i have a sense of humor" or perhaps it was just the irony of it that i really found hilarious

 

[JewelFreak]

Pandora, good explanation. I knew the other stuff but not about the Cornwall title. Rules of precedence must have been a headache in your job!

As to using Diana's ring -- maybe they simply aren't superstitious. The good from that ring is more important to them than any bad vibes. Lovely, if you ask me. (Yeah, I know you didn't!)

--- Laurie

 

[AGBF]

I wonder who Harry will end up with? I find him more appealing as he gets older too!

As long as he stays out of Nazi uniforms. That was a major turn-off for me. It kind of screamed, "I am a moron!".

Deb

haha, to me that kind of screamed "i have a sense of humor" or perhaps it was just the irony of it that i really found hilarious

What was the irony, Blackpaw? Do you call it, "irony" that he hadn't been aware his country had been at war with the Nazis 50 years prior to his donning the costume for a fancy dress party? Or do you think he knew but didn't care about the British (and Commonwealth) loss of life?

Deb/AGBF

 

[MissGotRocks]

Congrats to them!

If I recall correctly, there was a bit of a kerfuffle when that ring was first chosen.
Charles had Garrads bring a tray of their finest rings to Diana, so she could pick one out that she liked. Unfortunately the sapphire ring she had chosen had actually allready been advertised in the Garrads Christmas catalogue, so everyone knew how much it was worth - Scandal!!!

Attached is a picture of Diana with the ring and wedding band -

True - I was just doing some surfing to find more info on it. The sapphire is 18 cts. surrounded by 14 diamonds - no idea about carat weight of the diamonds. In 1981, it was the equivalent to $65,000.00 in the states and everyone knew how much it cost because it was in fact in Garrad's catalog. I always assumed it was made for her but that wasn't the case although she did pick it out. I did see one picture of Diana wearing it and it appeared to be in white metal; however, her wedding band was in gold. Someone here just recently stated that royalty often had platinum erings always paired with a yellow gold band.

I've mixed feelings about the ring. I do think it's sweet and thoughtful of him to want his mother to be a part of it and yet it does seem somehow tainted. I guess when Diana first received the ring she was over the moon in love too though. I suppose that a total white diamond ring does not seem to be the thing to do in their circle so perhaps that option was always out!

They seem like lovely young people - she is a beautiful young woman but seems much more self assured than Diana was. I guess this young woman is older and has been about in the world a little more. I think this was the woman he chose so let's hope they will have a much happier life than his mother and father did.

 

[Miss Sparkly]

meh - deleted. It is what is it but I would have liked to see here with her own ering

 

[T L]

but heck 18cts... wow!

Are you sure? It does not look that huge.

 

[Hera]

i gotta admit, that ring is not to my liking.

but i appreciate the sentiment behind it. it says "i love you" all over it.

I think it says divorce, betrayal and you have some damn big shoes to fill Missy. I agree with Sizzle and would not have wanted that ring.

I also it says, "I love another woman, but it has to be you." Despite this, there is another angle to it and I can see the sentiment between wanting the connection to his mother.
So, I guess a chicken will have to lose it's head (kidding)(sorta) .

 

[Maisie]

It looks pretty big to me

 

[T L]

It looks pretty big to me

I have read and have been told that her sapphire was 8 carats, and honestly, it looks about right for that carat weight, and it is still a nice size stone. Here's an almost 18 carat sapphire to compare, which looks twice as large.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Diamond-20-70ct...ne_Jewelry&hash=item3cb236675e#ht_6090wt_1139

 

[Maisie]

It looks pretty big to me

I have read and have been told that her sapphire was 8 carats, and honestly, it looks about right for that carat weight, and it is still a nice size stone. Here's an almost 18 carat sapphire to compare, which looks twice as large.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Diamond-20-70ct...ne_Jewelry&hash=item3cb236675e#ht_6090wt_1139

Now THATS a big stone!!

 

[Hera]

I wonder if that will mean a resurgence in this style of ring.

 

[Fly Girl]

It looks pretty big to me

I have read and have been told that her sapphire was 8 carats, and honestly, it looks about right for that carat weight, and it is still a nice size stone. Here's an almost 18 carat sapphire to compare, which looks twice as large.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Diamond-20-70ct...ne_Jewelry&hash=item3cb236675e#ht_6090wt_1139

Yes, I've read that way back when in the initial reports of the ring someone mistook the fact that it was 18k white gold with an 18 ct sapphire. This mistake keeps getting repeated forever and ever.