Secret meaning behind Princess Eugenie’s engagement ring – how it trumps Kate Middleton's

Princess Eugenie’s engagement ring is a very rare creation, made using a special form of sapphire.

The unique pink stone in encircled by diamonds, lending the ring the appearance of a sparkling flower.

When Princess Eugenie’s engagement ring was first revealed many commented on its close resemblance to the engagement her mother, Sarah Ferguson, was given by Prince Andrew in the 80s.

Sarah Ferguson’s ring was a flaming red ruby surrounded by diamonds.

What gives Eugenie’s sapphire its pink hue? HRH Princess Eugenie of York was given a rare “lotus blossom” sapphire, which an expert has valued at around £7,000 – modest for a royal ring.

A padparadscha sapphire like Eugenie’s is characterised by a colour that is a mixture of red and yellow, creating a pink tone.

According to Jewels for Me the padparadscha is the most rare, most prized form of Sapphire.

In comparison, Kate Middleton’s engagement ring features a blue sapphire, a less rare version of the stone.

The ring has various properties that it lends the wearer according to crystal enthusiasts.

Jewels for Me claims: “Padparadscha is a gentle stone with enormous energy that is said to have many positive attributes.

“It is a stone that represents joy, vital energy and foresight. It can help the wearer make enormous changes, helping him come close to achieving his life goals.

“It removes the many resistances to change the wearer may have, replacing this resistance with clarity. With this newfound clarity, the wearer can achieve a much-needed calm.

“This calm helps him understand the root of his problems, allowing for a much needed change. With this calmness, it is also easier for the wearer to trust himself, which is freeing.”

Sophie Lomax, head of design at 77diamonds.com, told Express.co.uk: “Princess Eugenie’s ring features an oval cut padparadscha sapphire encircled with a cluster of pear-shaped diamonds.

“Padparadscha sapphires are typically found in Sri Lanka and are one of the rarest colour of sapphire, being a beautiful and unique mix of pink and orange.”

The best royal engagement ring was said to be Meghan Markle’s in a study. 

Britons prefer Meghan’s ring, which has three sparkling clear diamonds on a gold band, to Kate Middleton’s and Princess Eugenie’s.

William May spoke to 2,250 Britons, and almost half thought the ring was the best at 49.3 per cent.

Only 35 per cent chose Kate Middleton’s sapphire, which once belonged to Princess Diana, as their favourite.

While overall both men and women preferred Meghan’s engagement ring, when it came to second best, the survey showed that they do have different taste.

Royal weddings: Meghan, Kate, Eugenie and Diana

Meghan Markle

Who: His Royal Highness Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex)

Where: St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle

When: 19 May 2018, Berkshire

Dress: Meghan wore a dress designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The white dress was made of silk and had a boat neckline. The veil was an incredible 16 feet long.

Tiara: The Duchess of Sussex chose the Queen Mary diamond bandeau tiara, made in 1932, with a flower brooch in the middle from 1893.

Cake: The cake was a made by Claire Ptak, based in London. It was lemon and elderflower cake, decorated with peonies and buttercream icing.

Notable guests: A-list guests included James Corden, tennis player Serena Williams, the Beckhams, Sir Elton John, George and Amal Clooney and Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford.

Princess Eugenie

Who: Princess Eugenie of York and Jack Brooksbank

Where: St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, Berkshire

When: 12 October 2018

Dress: Eugenie’s dress was made by Peter Pilotto and Christopher de Vos and had a full skirt, long sleeves and was ivory in colour. The dress has a low back designed to show Euegnie’s scar from scoliosis surgery, a cause she has spoken out about in the past and since the wedding.

Tiara: She wore the stunning Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara, lent to her by the Queen. It has a huge emerald in the middle.

Cake: The cake had five tiers and was a red velvet and chocolate cake made by London-based cake designer Sophie Cabot.

Notable guests: Famous faces at the wedding included Robbie Williams, Naomi Campbell, Kate Miss, Jack Whitehall and Liv Tyler.

Kate Middleton

Who: Prince William and Kate Middleton

Where: Westminster Abbey, London

When: 29 April 2011

Dress: Kate wore a dress made by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. The satin gown featured long lace sleeves. It had a nine foot train and the lace featured roses, daffodils, thistles and shamrocks.

Tiara: Kate borrowed the Cartier Scroll Tiara, now known as the Halo tiara. It was bought by the Queen’s father, the future King George VI, for his wife Elizabeth.

Cake: William and Kate opted for a traditional fruit cake with eight tiers. It was decorated with sugar flowers. William also had an additional chocolate biscuit cake was made from a Royal Family recipe.

Notable guests: Guests included family and friends of the couple, as well as members of the military and people who work with charities the pair support.

Princess Diana

Who: Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer

Where: St Paul’s Cathedral, London

When: 29 July 1981

Dress: Diana’s gown was designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel and had an enormous 25-foot train. The dress was ivory and featured lace. In typical 80s style the rather large dress had huge sleeves. The dress was badly creased during the carriage ride to the ceremony, as it was so large.

Cake: Diana and Charles had a number of cakes including a five-foot-tall layered fruitcake. Another cake was made by Belgian pastry chef S. G. Sender and another by Chef Nicholas Lodge.

Notable guests: Guests includes foreign royals from Spain and Greece, as well as First Lady Nancy Reagan who represented the United States.