Her new £4,350 eternity ring means she’s worn £600,000 of jewellery in the past 18 months
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by Claudia Joseph
AS A WOMAN well aware that her every fashion choice will be scrutinised intensely, the Duchess of Sussex has become adept at making statements through her jewellery – from wearing the same African bracelet as Prince Harry to hint that they were dating to the necklace bearing the word ‘Mummy’ she chose when she was pregnant.
So when Meghan wore an eternity ring at Trooping the Colour this month, during her first public appearance after the birth of baby Archie, it was clear it had a special significance. Not only is the £4,350 diamond band believed to have been created by Harry Collins, the Queen’s personal jeweller, but it was given to her by her husband to celebrate their first wedding anniversary.
The ring is the latest in an extraordinary collection of jewellery that Meghan has amassed in the past year, which has now been valued at a staggering £600,000.
It includes Princess Diana’s £75,000 aquamarine ring that Meghan wore on her wedding day, £60,000 Cartier drop earrings, and a set of £4,275 pearl and diamond earrings which were a gift from the Queen. In fact, the 91-piece collection, which boasts seven necklaces, 23 bracelets, 26 rings and 35 pairs of earrings, is so significant that it eclipses that of her late mother-in-law.
But while some items cost as much as a modest home in some parts of the country, Meghan is also a fan of more affordable jewellery, sporting many pieces that can be bought for under £100.
Jeweller Grant Mobley, who valued some of Diana’s heirlooms, told The Mail on Sunday: ‘The Royal Family is one of the best examples of how diamond jewellery can stand the test of time, be passed down from generation to generation, and only grows in emotional and intrinsic value over the years.’
Even the Duchess of Cambridge doesn’t have such an impressive collection: she owns about 60 pieces of jewellery, including Diana’s sapphire engagement ring worth an estimated £300,000, and her ‘Saudi Suite’ – a wedding gift from Crown
Prince Fahd which contained a sapphire watch, earrings, bracelet, ring and necklace.
Meghan, too, has been gifted items from Diana’s collection.
On the first day of her and Harry’s Australian tour last year, when they announced her pregnancy, the Duchess wore Diana’s butterfly earrings and gold bracelet. A poignant message acknowledging her legacy would live on through her son and future grandchild.
But away from costly heirlooms, Meghan has been seen in elegant high street brands such as Missoma, which is sold in John Lewis. She also stacks rings on every finger and piles on the bracelets.
Mr Mobley believes that is one of the reasons Meghan’s jewellery has become such a talking point. ‘She often wears pieces that would be considered very attainable by the average person,’ he explains.
She is drawn, too, to lesser-known designers who share her ethical and humanitarian interests.
One favourite is jeweller Pippa Small, who describes herself as an ‘anthropologist, human rights activist and survival ambassador’. Both Prince Charles and Kate are also fans of the designer, who was made an MBE in 2013. Other favourites include Australian Natalie Marie, who uses a mixture of ethical and recycled materials, and Canadian brand Ecksand, that ‘respects Mother Nature’ by using recycled gold and conflict-free gems.
Here, The Mail on Sunday shares the most dazzling gems in the Duchess’s expanding jewellery box.