Meghan Markle's jewelry gifted to the royal family

Former actress and Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle remains a focal point of global public interest especially when it comes to the jewels of the crown. Rumors that she allegedly took some of the treasures from the royal collection have repeatedly stirred the media. But is there any truth to these claims? Let's dive into what really happened with these jewels and why they have become such a hot topic of discussion. Meghan Markle, born on August 4th, 1981 in Los Angeles, is known not only as an actress but also as the wife of Prince Harry, whom she married in 2018. Their wedding, held with great pomp and circumstance, became a symbol of change within the British monarchy, yet also marked the beginning of a series of scandals. As the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan faced numerous challenges within the royal family, including conflicts with the press and complex relationships with other family members. In 2020, Meghan and Harry made the decision to step back from their duties as senior members of the royal family and move to the United States, sparking a fresh wave of rumors, including claims that Meghan had taken several of the crown's jewels with her. However, there is no official confirmation of this and the treasures remain under the crown's protection. Despite widespread speculation, it is important to note that Meghan never had access to royal heirlooms such as the Queen's coronation jewelry or the legendary collection of royal jewels. Nonetheless, during her time in the royal family, she wore stunning pieces and today I will tell you about them, along with those she is rumored to have claimed for herself. Let's start, of course, with her wedding day when the actress wore the Queen Mary's diamond bandeau. The bandeau originates from Queen Mary's collection of wedding gifts. Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, as she was then known, received an impressive array of jewels as wedding gifts when she married Prince George, Duke of York, in July 1893. The couple became King George V and Queen Mary in 1910. One of the sparkling gifts presented to Mary was a small brooch shaped like a cluster of diamonds, a gift from the people of Lincolnshire. In June 1893, the asterisk Lincolnshire Chronicle asterisk published an article on behalf of the Earl of Brownlow, who was the Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire. Lord Brownlow wrote a letter requesting the cooperation of the nobility, clergy, gentry, and other residents of the county with the purpose of collecting and presenting a suitable gift for the upcoming royal wedding. On July 5, 1893, just one day before the royal wedding, Lord and Lady Brownlow visited Buckingham Palace to present the county's gift to Princess Mary. Chronicle reported that the couple handed over, on behalf of the county of Lincoln, a wedding gift consisting of a large diamond surrounded by other exquisite diamonds. The jewel was enclosed in a Lincoln green case adorned with the county's coat of arms and a quote from the late Lord Tennyson, the great poet of Lincolnshire, God bless them. Marriages are made in heaven. The small yet striking diamond cluster brooch featured nine diamonds sparkling in a cluster around a larger central diamond, with additional smaller stones set between the cluster diamonds. The gift was graciously received and greatly admired by Her Highness, who expressed her warm gratitude for the kind and loyal sentiments that inspired the gift. Mary's parents, the Duke and Duchess of Tech, were by her side during the presentation. The Lincolnshire brooch, as it was known in Mary's list of wedding gifts, was displayed publicly alongside other presents. A few weeks after the wedding, the Lincolnshire Chronicle published a complete list of names of those who contributed to the purchase of the brooch. The list included several businesses and additional aristocrats. The Lincolnshire brooch became one of the pieces Queen Mary often wore pinned to her neckline, as seen in several portraits. However, by then, Queen Mary had already transformed the brooch into something more versatile. In 1932, she commissioned Gerard to create a new bandeau-style tiara of diamonds and platinum, using the Lincolnshire brooch as its central element. The Royal Collection notes that the tiara is made as a flexible band of 11 sections, set with large and small diamonds in a geometric design. The cluster style of the Lincolnshire brooch is mirrored in the smaller diamond clusters set on either side of the tiara. The central brooch is detachable, and Mary continued to wear it both as part of the tiara and as a standalone piece in the years after the tiara was made. In June 1951, Queen Mary wore the Diamond Bandeau Tiara to the premiere of Asterisk the Lavender Hill Mob Asterisk at the Odeon near Marble Arch in London. This event was one of Queen Mary's last appearances in the tiara. She passed away in March 1953, less than two years later, bequeathing the tiara to her granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II. The tiara remained in the Royal Vaults for an impressive 65 years after the Queen inherited the piece. But on May 19th, 2018, it was seen again on a member of the Royal Family. The new Duchess of Sussex wore the tiara at her Royal Wedding in St. George's Chapel at Windsor. Today, the tiara is primarily displayed at exhibitions. Let's move on to the next piece of jewelry, Meghan Markle's Engagement Ring. While the story of Princess Catherine's Engagement Ring is well known, Prince William famously proposed in 2010 with his late mother's iconic sapphire ring. Many wondered what kind of ring Prince Harry would present to his own bride. The answer was a stunning piece crafted from yellow gold, which, according to Prince Harry, was chosen because gold is her favorite material. The center stone, sourced from Botswana, holds personal significance for the couple, and the smaller diamonds flanking it are from Princess Diana's collection, as Harry explained, to make sure she's with us on this crazy journey together. Let's now turn our attention to another remarkable piece, Princess Diana's Aquamarine Ring. This emerald-cut aquamarine, surrounded by small solitaire diamonds set in 24-carat yellow gold, was gifted to Diana by her friend Lucia Flecha de Lima and set into a ring by Asprey in 1996. While many believe the aquamarine ring was commissioned as a replacement for Diana's legendary sapphire engagement ring following her divorce in 1996, it was seen in public only twice before her untimely death. The ring first made its appearance when Diana, Princess of Wales, attended a charity dinner for the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute in Sydney in October 1996, just months after her divorce was finalized. The ring was complemented by a matching pearl bracelet with a large aquamarine clasp. The following year, Diana was photographed wearing the aquamarine ring at a pre-auction party hosted by Christie's in London, celebrating the opening of the famous auction of her gowns, which raised millions for charity just weeks before her tragic death in Paris. After Diana's passing in 1997, her jewels were inherited by her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. When Harry gave his mother's sapphire engagement ring to his brother for the then Duchess of Cambridge, he inherited the aquamarine ring. It was first worn by the new Duchess of Sussex during their wedding reception at Frogmore House. Later that same year, Meghan wore Diana's aquamarine ring again at a dinner hosted by the King and Queen of Tonga. Though the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have since stepped back from their royal duties, they took the aquamarine ring with them, a stunning keepsake of Diana's legacy that continues to captivate the public. Let's delve into another stunning piece of Princess Diana's jewelry, the Butterfly Suite. Featuring gold butterflies adorned with paved diamonds and sapphires, this set includes two earrings and a larger butterfly pendant on a solid gold necklace. The suite's origins are unknown, though it reflects the distinctive style of the 1980s. Diana, Princess of Wales, acquired the Butterfly Suite in the mid-1980s, and it was first worn with the earrings attached to the necklace during a dinner at Goldsmith's Hall in 1985. The complete set made its debut during the Royal Tour of Canada in 1986. After Diana's death, her jewelry was inherited by her sons. Ahead of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's much-anticipated tour of Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand, the couple announced they were expecting their first child, drawing the world's attention to their first appearance. For this momentous occasion, the Duchess wore a stunning caranji sheath dress, accessorized with the gold butterfly earrings and bracelet from Diana's suite. Meghan wore the butterfly earrings on the memorable first day of the two-week tour in Sydney, and again at a reception at Admiralty House in Sydney. However, Meghan also has a piece of jewelry that isn't a family heirloom, the Burks Diamond Snowflake Earrings. Inspired by the icy beauty of Canadian winters, these snowflake snowstorm diamond earrings feature 2.15 carats of paved diamonds set in 18-carat white gold. It's unknown whether these were a gift or purchased by Meghan herself, but they are believed to be a wedding gift. Meghan first wore the Burks Diamond Snowflake Earrings during the Two months later, she donned them again during an official visit to Ireland, marking the couple's first overseas trip as newlyweds. The snowflake earrings became a regular part of Meghan's wardrobe at various events, but their last appearance was at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2020, one of the Sussexes' final public appearances before stepping back from royal duties and just before the onset of the ongoing pandemic. With their elegant and timeless design, we can only hope these beautiful earrings will make a return in the Duchess' new life in California. Which of these stunning jewels is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!