Secrets of Queen Elizabeth’s Engagement Ring Revealed

The engagement ring, featuring a three-carat round brilliant-cut diamond surrounded by 10 smaller diamonds in
a platinum setting, was personally designed by Philip and crafted by London jeweler Philip Antrobus Ltd.

The diamonds were sourced from a tiara belonging to Philip’s mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, who later
became Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark. She passed away at 84 in 1969. This piece became one of the
most iconic jewels associated with the monarch, as royal experts note she wore it throughout her 73-year
marriage without ever removing it.

The proposal occurred following World War II, during a time when Britain was adapting to post-war austerity.
Philip reportedly sought approval from Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, who passed away at the age of 56
in 1952. The engagement was officially announced in July 1947. Although the couple had known each other for
years, their relationship grew closer during the war as Philip served as a naval officer.

In a letter from 1946, Philip shared his emotions about their engagement, offering a rare insight: “To have
been spared in the war and seen victory, to have been given the chance to rest and to readjust myself, to
have fallen in love completely and unreservedly makes all one’s personal and even the world’s troubles seem
small and petty,” he expressed in 1946.

Queen Elizabeth’s engagement ring has a deep family history. The diamonds were sourced from a tiara once owned
by Philip’s mother, Princess Alice. This tiara was originally a gift from Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina
Alexandra of Russia when Princess Alice wed Prince Andrew of Greece in 1903. Philip repurposed the tiara to
create both the engagement ring and a matching bracelet, later known as the Edinburgh wedding bracelet.

In addition to the engagement ring, Philip ordered Elizabeth’s wedding band, crafted from Welsh gold gifted by
the people of Wales. According to Ingrid Seward’s book Prince Philip: A Portrait of the Duke of
Edinburgh, Philip included a secret inscription inside the band, known only to Philip, Elizabeth,
and the engraver.

Elizabeth and Philip were married on November 20, 1947, at Westminster Abbey in London. The ceremony occurred
during a time of rationing in Britain, and Elizabeth notably used clothing coupons to purchase her gown,
reflecting the public’s post-war austerity. The dress, designed by Norman Hartnell, was completed in under
three months by approximately 350 seamstresses.