Carrie Symonds's dazzling new engagement ring was on display as she joined her fiancé, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, at the Commonwealth Day 2020 service on Monday. The couple, who are expecting their first baby together, arrived arm-in-arm for the Westminster Abbey ceremony, with Carrie elegantly dressed in a baby blue coat by British designer Isabelle Fox. Onlookers were also given a glimpse of her new accessory – which bears a striking similarity to that worn by the Duchess of Cambridge. Both engagement rings feature a large gemstone surrounded by diamonds. The only notable difference is the colour of the central stone; while Kate's features a beautiful blue sapphire, Carrie has a stunning emerald at its heart.
Carrie Symonds's engagement ring (left) bears a striking similarity to Kate's
Traditionally, engagement rings have featured a diamond as a centrepiece, although the rise of alternative gemstones has been on the rise ever since Prince William proposed to Kate with Princess Diana's sapphire and diamond ring in 2010. According to The Gem Society, the emerald represents wit, foresight and eloquence. It is also the birthstone for the month of May – perhaps a link to Carrie's "early summer" due date.
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The Prime Minister, 55, and his partner, 31, announced the news of their engagement and Carrie's pregnancy at the end of February. The couple have been living together in Downing Street since Boris became prime minister in July 2019, with Carrie becoming the first unmarried prime ministerial partner in history. A spokesperson for the couple said: "The prime minister and Miss Symonds are very pleased to announce their engagement and that they are expecting a baby in the early summer."
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The last time a sitting Prime Minister welcomed a child was in August 2010, when David and Samantha Cameron welcomed Florence Rose Endellion into their family. Boris has four grown-up children with his second wife Marina Wheeler, to whom he was married for 25 years. He also has an eleven-year-old daughter with Helen Macintyre, who is an art consultant.