Meghan Markle Spotted Without Her Engagement Ring — Here's Why

Markle's appearance without the jewelry at a belated birthday celebration led to rumors about her marital status.

By Ashley Turner

Meghan Markle is rarely seen without her three-stone diamond engagement ring. It wasn't until Aug. 15th, however, that the Duchess of Sussex was spotted without the elaborate ornament on her left ring finger, fueling speculation about her and Prince Harry's relationship. It appears that Markle was having lunch with two of her friends, Cleo Wade and Kadi Lee, who were celebrating a belated birthday lunch for the duchess, who turned 42 on Aug. 4. In one of the photos taken of the group, Markle's sparkling jewelry is not present but is instead replaced by a gold band. It has been revealed by an insider that Markle ditched her engagement ring because it is simply 'being fixed' and that it has nothing to do with her marriage to Harry, the source told Page Six on Aug. 18. As co-founder of So Synced, Louella Anderson, told The Mirror, Markle's decision not to keep her engagement ring on could have been influenced by other factors. "Meghan Markle has always had her own unique sense of style," she says. 

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"It's possible that her decision to change or remove the engagement ring reflects her evolving taste or desire for something different. She's not over the top about her jewelry and usually chooses to keep her look quite simple and classic. Taking off the ring could be her way of expressing this personal preference for a less flashy look. Markle's engagement ring was particularly large and may have been uncomfortable to wear on a day-to-day basis. It could be practicality that has caused her to take off the ring and opt for something more comfortable." Both Anderson and the insider made it clear that the missing stones have nothing to do with the royal couple's relationship. The source confirmed to Page Six that rumors of a breakup are untrue. "It's not true," the insider says. "It's literally made up." Anderson echoes this view. "There is speculation that Meghan has removed her engagement ring as a symbol of her and Prince Harry's relationship status potentially being rocky," she noted. "However, it's clear Meghan Markle still has a ring on her wedding finger. It's just a much more understated and practical piece of jewelry and one that is likely more suited to her personal tastes." 

There are several copycat designs of the gorgeous diamond ring that was given to Markle by Harry when he proposed to her. The ring, which cost Harry $150,000 to create, is also special to the couple because of its significance, according to Brides.com. Harry sourced the center stone, a three-carat, cushion-cut diamond, from Botswana, where the couple first met and fell in love on the third date they shared. This ring has three gemstones, all set on a yellow gold band, which was Markle's favorite metal at the time and was crafted by the jeweler Cleave and Company. A micro-pavé band replaced the original one after she gave birth to Prince Archie, the pair's first child. The middle stone is flanked by two smaller, round-cut diamonds, each about one carat in size. Harry told the BBC during their engagement interview that he borrowed these gems from Princess Diana's jewelry collection "to make sure she's with us on this crazy journey together." The outlet also said that Markle described the ring as "incredible," especially because this sparkler embodied Diana's memory in such a meaningful way. "Everything about Harry's thoughtfulness and the inclusion of [Diana's stones] and obviously not being able to meet his mom—it's so important to me to know that she's a part of this with us," she said in the interview.

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