Crown jewels: The fabulous rings which sealed the love of Europe's royal couples

So far 2009 has been a very good year for royal watchers, with engagement announcements from not one, but two of Europe's most eligible princess. And as speculation of a proposal from Britain's Prince William to Kate Middleton mounts, we take a look at the sparklers adorning the hands of some of the world's leading royal beauties.

In April 2009, the people of Sweden were greeted with the news they had long been waiting for; their future queen, Crown Princess Victoria was engaged to her long-term boyfriend Daniel Westling. Clearly over the moon, the princess was beaming as she joined her gym-owner fiancé to give the public their first glimpse of the ring. A solitary round brilliant cut diamond, mounted on white gold, it is a beautifully simple and traditional band that perfectly suits the down-to-earth royal

Just four months later, and there was cause for double celebration with a second engagement announcement from the Swedish royal court. Victoria's younger sister Princess Madeleine had been asked for her hand in marriage by her lawyer love Jonas Bergstrom, who got down on bended knee with this emerald cut diamond ring.

In 2003, Denmark's handsome young prince Frederik proposed to his Australian love Mary Donaldson three years after their first meeting. And fittingly for his striking bride-to-be, the crown prince presented her with an eye-catching engagement ring – an emerald cut diamond nestled between two emerald cut ruby baguettes

Four years on and there was another beautiful brunette embarking on life as a Danish princess. Frederik's romantic younger brother, Prince Joachim, asked his French girlfriend Marie Cavallier to marry him with a truly thoughtful token of his love. The ruby, diamond and sapphire tricolour ring was chosen by the groom to reflect the colours of Princess Marie's homeland's flag in a nod to her heritage

On March 30, 2001, the engagement of Argentinian beauty Maxima Zorreguieta Cerruti and Prince Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange was happily announced. As a sign of his commitment, the handsome royal chose an impressive platinum-set engagement ring for Princess Maxima, the central stone of which is a unique oval orange diamond flanked by two emerald-cut diamonds set in bands that were themselves encrusted with sparkling gems

Canadian beauty Autumn Kelly debuted the beautiful ring given to her by Princess Anne's son Peter Phillips at an equestrian event in August 2007. All eyes were on the Queen's grandson and his 29-year-old fiancée, and royal watchers were rewarded with the first sight of the three stone white gold ring. Featuring an oval shaped diamond at its centre, it is reportedly worth £80,000

The only son of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain, Felipe, Prince of Asturias, asked for the hand of former journalist Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano in 2003 with a 16 baguette diamond ring with a white gold trim. Felipe also presented his bride-to-be with a family heirloom jewel as a gift, while Princess Letizia marked the occasion by giving him white gold and sapphire cufflinks and a classic book

"I'm only just coming down to earth," said Camilla Parker Bowles at her first appearance as Prince Charles' future wife in 2005. And it was no wonder. Britain's future king presented the Duchess of Cornwall with a unique art deco style ring featuring a huge square cut diamond flanked by three diamond baguettes. A family heirloom, it was reportedly given to the Queen Mother in 1926 on the occasion of the birth of her daughter, Queen Elizabeth

On January 6 1999, the engagement between Prince Edward, the fourth child and third son of the Queen and Prince Phillip, and former PR manager Sophie Rhys-Jones was made public. Edward proposed to his blonde love with a delicate ring featuring a two carat oval diamond, flanked by two smaller heart-shaped gems. Set in 18 carat white gold and made by royal jeweller Asprey and Garrard, the jewel is worth an estimated £105,000

One of the most striking engagement rings on the royal circuit belongs to Marie-Chantal, the wife of Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece. The cabochon cut sapphire and heart-shaped diamond engagement ring was the perfect choice for the creative princess, who works as a clothing designer for children, and was given to her by her prince in 1995