Report: Meghan Markle made a major upgrade to her engagement ring
The Duchess of Sussex may be out of the royal spotlight for a few more months -- rightfully enjoying time with her newborn son -- but her brief appearance at this month's Trooping the Colour has left us with enough royal news to last until her return.
It seems that while the new mom kept her classic neutral style in check for the annual royal extravaganza, Meghan did opt to showcase some enviable new bling: an eternity ring from Prince Harry, rumored to be either an anniversary or push present, and what seems to be an upgraded version of her engagement ring.
Reports allege that Meghan updated her original three-stone ring's gold band to a new, thinner gold micro-pavé one. You can see the apparent change (which Meghan slyly first debuted at baby Archie's photocall) in the photos below.
Photo: Getty
According to jewelry expert Arabel Lebrusan, many jewelry owners make this change in order to up the "wow factor" of the diamonds. "Many celebrities do this, as the central stone looks bigger in comparison," Lebrusan explained to The Daily Mail.
The expert continued, "The diamond setting on the band looks like micro-set, this means there is very little metal in between the stones maximising the sparkle of the tiny diamonds." Lebrusan also noted that the ring's design change follows a more American style in comparison to the original ring.
“You don’t have to get a new setting or center stone to upgrade your ring,” echoed Alicia Davis from Shane Co, who also noticed the swap. “Changing the actual band from a solid metal to a diamond pave setting is a wonderful way to upgrade any engagement ring for a little more sparkle while still keeping the original stones and their setting.
The Duchess of Sussex is regularly known to favor dainty jewelry pieces in favor of statement-making elements, such as the simple Jennifer Meyer Turquoise necklace which she wore to introduce baby Archie and her $44 whisper-thin Catbird ring.
Prince Harry proposed to Meghan back in November 2017 while the couple was cooking dinner at their cottage. The ring was reportedly designed by Harry with Cleave and Company, medalists to the queen, and features a cushion cut diamond from Botswana and outside stones from Princess Diana's personal collection.
"Everything about Harry’s thoughtfulness and the inclusion of [Princess Diana’s stones] and obviously not being able to meet his mom, it’s so important to me to know that she’s a part of this with us," Meghan said during an interview after their engagement.
After marrying at St. James' Chapel in Windsor Castle in May 2018, the couple welcomed their first child, Archie Harrison, nearly a year later.
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