Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has debuted a new ring, sparking speculation among royal fans who note its resemblance to the engagement ring worn by Catherine, Princess of Wales. Markle, 44, showcased the piece in an Instagram post on May 11, leading some to suggest it could be an early anniversary gift from her husband, Prince Harry, as their anniversary is on May 19.
The ring has drawn comparisons to the 12-carat oval sapphire engagement ring that previously belonged to Princess Diana, Prince Harry's late mother, and is now worn by the Princess of Wales. Royal watchers took to social media platform X to comment on the similarity. One post stated, "Meghan Markle's latest As Ever video shows her wearing a new ring that resembles Princess Diana and Princess Catherine's engagement ring!"
Historical accounts suggest that after Princess Diana's death, Prince Harry selected her sapphire engagement ring while Prince William chose her watch. It is believed that in 2010, the brothers may have exchanged these items, with William using the ring to propose to Catherine. However, Prince Harry disputed this account in his 2023 memoir, "Spare," calling the reports "absolutely rubbish." He claimed that William already possessed their mother's ring when he proposed to Catherine and was never asked to give it up.
Markle's recent appearance wearing the ring was in a promotional video for her lifestyle brand, As Ever. The video, shared recently, depicted her collecting fruits and vegetables in her garden. Dressed in a blue-striped shirt and white trousers, she walked barefoot through her garden, carrying a straw basket filled with produce and sipping tea. The clip, set to birdsong, was captioned "A basket full of summer."
However, the marketing campaign for As Ever has reportedly drawn mixed reactions. Some social media users expressed confusion about the focus of the advertisement, suggesting that the product itself was overshadowed by Markle. One user commented on X, "I think that's the weakest part of the campaign as the product feels secondary to the personality." Another expressed a sentiment that Markle "has no clue who her target market is."
Earlier in June, the Duchess shared a Father's Day tribute featuring a photograph of Prince Harry embracing their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5. The photo was posted on her personal Instagram account with the caption, "They're so lucky to have you. We all are. Happy Father's Day to our one and only."
This comes as Prince Harry is reportedly planning a visit to the UK with his family in mid-July for the one-year countdown event for the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham. This would be the first time his children have visited Britain in four years. The children have not seen their grandfather, King Charles III, in person since June 2022. Meghan has not made an extended visit to the UK since Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in September 2022.