Meghan Markle Redesigned Her Engagement Ring to Have More Diamonds

Prince Harry proposed to Meghan Markle in late 2017, gifting the Duchess of Sussex with a timeless engagement ring featuring a center stone flanked by two smaller stones on a gold band.

On June 8, Markle took a break from maternity leave to attend the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony, where eagle-eyed fans noticed that the new mom appears to have made a change to her original ring.

Markle seems to have swapped out the ring’s original solid gold band for a thin micro-pavé band, though it’s unclear whether the original stones have been changed.

PEOPLE reported that Harry designed Markle’s original ring himself and that the center stone is from Botswana, a country that is important to the royal, while the two outside diamonds are from his late mother Princess Diana’s collection.

“The ring is obviously yellow gold because that’s [Markle’s] favorite and the main stone itself I sourced from Botswana and the little diamonds either side are from my mother’s jewelry collection, to make sure that she’s with us on this crazy journey together,” Harry said during the couple’s interview with the BBC.

Markle did not wear her engagement ring for the last several months of her pregnancy, likely due to the fact that her fingers became swollen (sister-in-law Kate Middleton also opted out of wearing her engagement ring during the end of her pregnancy with son Prince Louis).

The new band on Markle’s ring may be a temporary option for her to wear postpartum, or the ring may be a totally new one that she can utilize as her body transitions from pregnancy.

The Duchess of Sussex’s appearance at Trooping the Colour was her first official appearance since giving birth to her son, Archie, on May 6. She will reportedly remain on maternity leave for around three to five months, though she will likely make select public appearances in the coming months.

According to Vanity Fair, one of Markle’s first royal engagements upon her return to work will be in October when she and Harry attend the annual summit for One Young World in London. The summit is a global event that celebrates 10,000 young leaders from around the world.

“Harry is keen to support Meghan in developing her own role and the opportunity to partner with a cause so close to her heart is an ideal stepping stone,” a source said. “All being well with the baby, the timing is perfect for her to expand her Commonwealth work through this new One Young World partnership with the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust.”

Photo Credit: Getty / Chris Jackson