The Duke of Edinburgh, then Philip Mountbatten, proposed to Princess Elizabeth in 1946, but the announcement was postponed until she turned 21. When it was finally announced on July 9, 1947, the world had its first look at its ring: a three-carat diamond, cut in brilliance, set in platinum, flanked by smaller stones.
The ring was made by London jeweler Philip Antrobus Ltd, using diamonds from an ancient tiara belonging to Philip’s mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg. The prince knew exactly what he wanted and was involved in custom design. A classic and timeless style, the queen has worn the daily ring ever since, paired with her Welsh gold wedding band.
Her nephew, Prince Harry, continued the tradition by making sure that Meghan Markle’s three-stone engagement ring contained diamonds taken from jewelry belonging to her mother, Princess Diana.
Diamond wedding bracelet
In addition to the engagement ring, the Prince surprised his future bride with a diamond bracelet, also made using diamonds from his mother’s tiara. Placed in platinum with geometric motifs decorated in Art Deco style, the bracelet was also made by Antrobus Ltd, and Prince Philip would have played a role in its design.