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OpinionThe Sussexes

Opinion: Meghan changing her engagement ring shouldn’t be controversial

Recently, people have complained that the Duchess of Sussex appears to have altered her engagement ring. To them, she has changed a “piece of history”, adding that as such it’s not fashion that should be changed.

I’m going to have to respectfully disagree with this. It’s HER engagement ring given to HER by her now husband. Her choice doesn’t impact us.

For all we know, she may have needed to get it altered to fit better now that she has three rings on that finger (engagement, wedding and eternity rings). Maybe it needed to be a thinner band to fit comfortably. What if something happened to the original band, so it had to be replaced? Or, possibly, the alteration was Harry’s idea – a gift for their first wedding anniversary?

She’s not the first royal lady to alter royal jewels or her engagement ring after her wedding, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark added a diamond on each side to hers. She’s the future queen, surely then she messed with a piece of history, too?

Queen Ingrid of Denmark made changes to the Ruby Parure Tiara that dates back over 200 years. It started out as individual jewels and was made into a simple tiara. Ingrid changed it, and it was changed yet again by Crown Princess Mary in circa 2010.

The Duchess of Cambridge has made changes to earrings that once belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales. And Diana herself changed her engagement ring to add more prongs.

The Countess of Wessex also altered her wedding tiara and debuted the new format at the state dinner for President Trump. People didn’t seem to complain then, so why now with Meghan? Was that not changing a piece of history, too?

There’s no shame or crime in altering jewellery. The Duchess isn’t the first royal lady to make changes to royal jewels, and she won’t be the last.

It’s Meghan’s ring, not ours. Let her do with it what she wants. It’s not up to us.

About author

Brittani is from Tennessee, USA. She is a political scientist and historian after graduating with a degree in the topics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in December 2014. She also holds a master's degree from Northeastern University. She enjoys reading and researching all things regarding the royals of the world. She's been researching, reading, and writing on royalty for over a decade. She became Europe Editor in October 2016, and then Deputy Editor in January 2019, and has been featured on several podcasts, radio shows, news broadcasts and websites including Global News Canada, ABC News Australia, WION India and BBC World News.