Meghan Markle looked radiant in a custom white Louis Vuitton gown as she joined Prince Harry at a lavish New York awards ceremony last night, but all eyes were on her show-stopping aquamarine ring, which once belonged to the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were honored at the Ripple of Hope Gala, hosted by the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Foundation, and given a prize that counts Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton among its former recipients for their racial justice and mental health work.
The duchess, 41, was the picture of polished perfection in her sleek off-the-shoulder Nicolas Ghesquière for Louis Vuitton gown, which she paired with a pair of classic black patent leather pumps and a mini black clutch.
The finishing touch to the glamorous ensemble was the emerald-cut aquamarine ring, which Asprey made for Diana, Princess of Wales, in the 1990s and wore for the first time during her 1996 tour of Australia.
The piece has huge sentimental value to Meghan. Not only did it belong to Prince Harry’s beloved late mother, but the duchess also wore the jewel for her wedding reception at Frogmore House in May 2018.
Understandably, given the size of the ring, Meghan Markle has worn it on very few occasions since. However, she did bring it out of her jewelry box for a glittering dinner in Tonga, during her and Prince Harry’s tour later that year. At the time she was in the early stages of pregnancy with her son, Archie, now three, who was born in May 2019.
Typically, the Duchess of Sussex prefers understated jewelry and has become known for her signature delicate gold stacking pieces. The awards gala took place in New York just hours after King Charles III and the Queen Consort and the Prince and Princess of Wales hosted the annual Diplomatic Corps reception at Buckingham Palace.
Kate Middleton also opted for jewelry with sentimental significance, choosing a pair of antique earrings from the late Queen Elizabeth II’s collection and a glittering diamond tiara that was a favorite of Princess Margaret.
The royal family is braced for the premiere of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Netflix docuseries, , the first three episodes of which will land on the streaming platform on December 8.
This post was originally published in Tatler.
