Princess Margaret's grandson, Samuel Chatto, recently announced his engagement to fellow artist Eleanor Ekserdjian, revealing he proposed with a ring he handcrafted from porcelain. The unique choice has divided opinion among royal fans, with some praising the personal sentiment and others expressing concern over the material's durability.
Chatto, 29, a ceramicist and 30th in line to the British throne, shared the news on Instagram, stating, "I'm really delighted to say that Ellie and I are engaged. And we couldn't be happier. I proposed with a porcelain ring which I made."
While some fans lauded the ring as "stunning" and "so much more sentimental and personal that your fiancé actually made it himself," others voiced reservations. Comments on social media platform X included sentiments like, "No diamonds left in the safe? Princess Margaret would be spinning in her urn!" and concerns that porcelain might be too "breakable" for everyday wear.
Samuel Chatto is the son of Lady Sarah Chatto, Queen Elizabeth II's niece, and Daniel Chatto. He and Ekserdjian, also 29 and a painter and film artist, reportedly met in 2021 at the University of Edinburgh. The couple resides in London.
King Charles has been informed of the engagement, and the couple is planning to marry next spring. Ekserdjian has been integrated into royal family events, attending the wedding of Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling in June and Christmas celebrations at Sandringham in 2024, which had previously fueled engagement rumors. Her attendance at these events mirrored past instances where partners joined the family only after becoming engaged or married.
Both Chatto and Ekserdjian are graduates of the University of Edinburgh and studied at the Royal Drawing School in London. Chatto, who comes from an artistic family including his mother, a painter, and his father, an actor-turned-artist, has pursued ceramics, completing an apprenticeship in Japan. Ekserdjian's father is art historian Professor David Ekserdjian, and her mother is Financial Times art critic Susan Moore. Her artistic practice involves abstract painting and film, often projecting moving images onto canvas and drawing over them.