A poignant tribute to Diana as her diamonds grace ring

THE engagement ring now encircling Meghan Markle’s finger would melt the heart of any bride-to-be with its elegantly stunning trio of diamonds set in gold.

But this one is special on a more poignant level, for not only was it designed by Prince Harry but it includes jewels that belonged to his mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

In designing it himself, he was following the romantic example of his grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh, who did the same with the Queen’s engagement ring in 1947, using diamonds from a tiara belonging to his mother Princess Alice of Greece.

Miss Markle, 36, beamed yesterday as she showed off the ring at a photo call in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace.

The centrepiece is a large diamond from Botswana, which Harry has vis- ited many times since he was a child, including with Miss Markle last September. Experts said it appeared to be a .5-carat cushion-cut stone likely to be a D in colour – the clearest – and worth at least £50,000.

Flanking it are two smaller diamonds from Diana’s personal collection – a moving tribute in the year of the 0th anniversary of her death.

The main band is yellow Welsh gold. It was made to Harry’s design by Cleave and Company, court jewellers and medallists to the Queen.

When Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge, he gave her Diana’s sapphire and diamond engagement ring. It is now considered priceless – as, already, is Miss Markle’s.

David Allen, of the jewellers 77 Diamonds, said: ‘It would start at around £50,000 but with the use of Diana’s diamonds, this ring, like Kate’s, is of inestimable worth.’

One online jeweller estimated that the ring would have cost Prince Harry around £199,475.