The Unexpected History of Queen Camilla’s 5-Carat Engagement Ring

When the news broke on February 5, 2005, that Prince Charles III (now King Charles III) was engaged to Camilla Parker Bowles (now Queen Camilla), little was known about the origin of the engagement ring that Charles used to pop the question: a five-carat emerald-cut diamond flanked by three baguette diamonds on each side with an Art Deco design. At the time, Buckingham Palace revealed that the sparkler was a royal family heirloom, but they didn’t provide any further details, which piqued the public’s curiosity.

As it turns out, according to The Court Jeweller, Camilla’s engagement ring was part of the jewelry collection of the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, who was Queen Elizabeth II’s mom and Charles’ grandmother. In the 1980s, the Queen Mother was photographed wearing the piece, but it wasn’t an engagement ring from her husband, King George VI. Allegedly, the diamond ring was actually a push present; the King gifted the Queen Mother the piece after she gave birth to Queen Elizabeth II, per a blog post that New York City jeweler Taylor & Hart wrote. Since Charles had a close relationship with his grandmother, it’s believed that he chose the design intentionally for his future wife. According to Town & Country, the history of the rock before it came into the Queen Mother's possession is unclear. 

Deborah Papas, a gemologist from Prestige Pawnbrokers, estimates that the family heirloom has a value of $288,000. Camilla has also donned other pieces that were passed down from the Queen Mother, like the Greville Tiara. According to The Court Jeweller, the Queen Mother inherited the crown (and all of her other jewels) from British philanthropist Dame Margaret Greville. Lucien Hirtz of Boucheron designed the diamond accessory for Greville in Paris in 1921. Camilla has worn the historical piece on several occasions, such as a state banquet in 2006 (the earliest appearance) and the State Opening of Parliament in 2019.

After Charles and Camilla announced their plans to tie the knot in 2005, the bride-to-be confirmed to the Telegraph that “of course” Charles got down on one knee to propose. In a formal statement, Charles opened up about the couple’s excitement to marry one another. “Mrs. Parker Bowles and I are absolutely delighted,” he expressed. “It will be a very special day for us and our families.” Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, also publicly supported their son’s milestone with his future wife. “The Duke of Edinburgh and I are very happy that the Prince of Wales and Mrs. Parker Bowles are to marry,” the former queen said in a statement.

Charles and Camilla went on to tie the knot in a civil ceremony at the Windsor Guildhall on April 9, 2005. To symbolize their commitment to one another and maintain royal protocol, the couple exchanged wedding bands made of Welsh gold. For the service, Charles’ oldest son, Prince William, was the best man. Since Charles and Camilla were both previously married (Charles to Princess Diana and Camilla to Andrew Parker Bowles), Elizabeth and Philip decided not to attend the civil ceremony. After the bride and groom made it official, they received a blessing at St. George’s Chapel, which Charles’ parents made an appearance at.