Ever since Meghan Markle showcased her stunning engagement ring, fans have been dying to get their hands on a copy. But the royal jewellers who had the honour of creating the exquisite piece have said they will not be making copies. Stephen Connelly, director of Cleave and Company Court Jewellers and Medallists to Her Majesty The Queen, said: "We're not going to be making replicas of it. If you want a ring, then we'll design you a different one." Mr Connelly added that the intense media attention has been "a bit of a shock".
Prince Harry commissioned the royal jewellers to create the piece using diamonds that belonged to his mother, Princess Diana. The two outside stones came from the late Princess's personal collection and are a poignant tribute to Diana in the year of the 20th anniversary of her death. The large central diamond is from Botswana, a country that holds special significance for the Prince who has visited many times since he was a child. Harry, 33, also whisked Meghan, 36, to the country for their third date.
Cleave and Company designed the exquisite ring
Meghan debuted the ring at an official photocall last week, when she and her new fiancé Harry celebrated their engagement news at Kensington Palace. It was the public's first chance to see the ring which Harry chose to present to his bride when he popped the question in London in November. The romantic Prince got down on bended knee at their home, Nottingham Cottage, at the palace and asked for Meghan's hand in marriage over a roast chicken dinner.
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Prince Harry designed the ring himself
Harry is not the only royal to design his bride-to-be's engagement ring using jewels that belonged to his mother. The Duke of Edinburgh designed an engagement ring for the Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, in 1947, using diamonds from a tiara belonging to his mother, Princess Alice of Greece. And when Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge, he gave her Diana's famous sapphire and diamond engagement ring, famously hiding the priceless heirloom in a rucksack so he could pop the question while on holiday in Kenya.
