Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have a rather complicated relationship with tradition. While the couple are passing on some family traditions to their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, they've taken a more modern approach when it comes to others.
When it comes to wedding and engagement rings, it seems that the Duchess of Sussex, as she often does with her style, has chosen to do things her own way.
In a post shared to Instagram by her lifestyle brand As Ever, simply and concisely captioned 'Simplici-tea', the mother-of-two can be seen scooping tea leaves.
As her left hand was on prominent display, eagle-eyed fans noticed that Meghan's engagement ring stack was arranged in a highly unconventional way.
The order in which she organised her rings differs significantly from the traditional one, with her engagement ring at the base, her eternity band in the middle and her wedding band stacked on top.
Traditionally, one has the wedding band first, then the engagement ring, and finally the eternity band, though the placement is ultimately down to the wearer's personal preference.
Maxwell Stone, diamond expert from UK retailer Steven Stone, has taken a closer look at Meghan's unique ring styling, noting that her "non-traditional" choices are "a subtle yet meaningful reflection of both her and Prince Harry's willingness to break from royal convention."
He adds: "Their choice to embrace individuality over tradition mirrors their bold, modern approach to life and their roles beyond the royal family."
Meghan's incredible engagement ring
When Prince Harry proposed in 2017, he used a custom-designed three-stoned engagement ring, which Maxwell notes featured a "3-carat cushion-cut diamond from Botswana and two smaller diamonds from Princess Diana's jewellery collection".
© Christopher FurlongThe diamond expert also points out: "Over a year later, Meghan updated the ring by replacing the original yellow gold band with a diamond-studded one."
Given its "high-quality stones with exceptional clarity", Maxwell estimates the ring's value at approximately £120,000.
Meghan's eternity ring stack
The Duchess of Sussex's stack is completed by her wedding band, which is made of Welsh gold gifted by the late Queen Elizabeth II, and her eternity band, which was given to her as a gift from Prince Harry for the couple's first anniversary.
© WPA PoolMaxwell notes that the wedding band "was crafted from the same nugget of gold used for the late Queen and Kate Middleton's rings," estimating its value at around £10,000 and adding that "it was made by Cleave & Company – the jeweller who also created Meghan's engagement ring".
As for the eternity ring, which was first seen publicly at Trooping the Colour in 2019, he adds: "Crafted with conflict-free diamonds, the ring holds special meaning as it features the birthstones of Meghan, Archie and Harry – peridot, emerald and sapphire – discreetly set on the underside."
© GettyEstimating the eternity ring's worth at £80,000, Maxwell concludes that, "no matter how she chooses to wear it", Meghan's engagement ring stack is worth, approximately, a staggering £210,000.
