An engagement ring can have a special meaning, and royal engagement rings are no different.
When it came time for Prince Joachim of Denmark to propose to his French girlfriend, Marie Cavallier, he did so with a unique engagement ring that he knew would hold a special place in Marie’s heart and his.
The Prince chose a gold band with a ruby, diamond and sapphire to present to his future bride during a summer in Turkey, and the ring looks like the French flag.
Embed from Getty ImagesHe knew Marie would have to renounce her French citizenship and become a Dane, so with this engagement ring, he was able to give Marie a piece of her country to carry with her each day.
During their engagement interview, Joachim said, “Some will notice that it does resemble the French flag to some extent,” with Marie saying, “So I keep a bit of the French [with me].”
France is also a special place for Joachim, who is half-French through his late father, Prince Henrik (born Henri Laborde de Monpezat). Henrik spent the majority of his early years in France and French Indochina. Even after marrying Crown Princess Margrethe (and later becoming her Prince Consort when she became Queen Margrethe), Henrik kept an attachment to France. The Prince owned Château de Cayx in the south of France, where his family spends time to this day.
Joachim may have gotten inspiration for this ring from his older brother, Crown Prince Frederik, who proposed to Mary Donaldson (now Crown Princess Mary) with a ring that mimicked the Danish flag.
