Deborah Chan
Royal wedding rings are steeped in history and tradition. The wedding ring of Queen Elizabeth II, for example, was crafted from pure Welsh gold from the Clogau St David's gold mine. This tradition of using Welsh gold has been passed down through the British Royal Family for over 100 years, with the wedding rings of King Charles, Queen Camilla, Princess Diana, Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, and many others, all being made from the same.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Material | Pure Welsh gold |
| Source of gold | Clogau St David's gold mine |
| Gold identification | Welsh dragon stamp and other unique marks |
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What You'll Learn
Queen Elizabeth II's wedding ring
The tradition of using Welsh gold for royal wedding rings began over 100 years ago when Prince Edward was invested as the Prince of Wales in 1911. The Honours of the Principality of Wales, the coronation regalia, were made from Welsh gold.
The wedding ring of Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, was also made from pure Welsh gold from the Clogau St David’s gold mine. This began a tradition that has continued for over 95 years, including for the weddings of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, the Duchess of York, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Duchess of Cambridge, and the Duchess of Sussex.
Queen Elizabeth II's engagement ring, given to her by Prince Philip in 1946, featured a 3-carat round-cut diamond centre stone with 10 smaller diamonds on the band. The diamonds came from a tiara belonging to Prince Philip's mother, Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark (also known as Princess Alice of Battenberg). To complete her ring stack, she added a simple gold wedding band made from Welsh gold.
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Welsh gold wedding rings
The British Royal Family has a long-standing tradition of using Welsh gold in their wedding rings. This tradition was started in 1923 by Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, who wore a wedding ring made from a single nugget of Welsh gold from the Clogau St David's gold mine when she married the Duke of York, later King George VI. This nugget was later used to create wedding rings for several other members of the Royal Family, including Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth II) upon her marriage to Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, in 1947, and Princess Margaret, the Countess of Snowdon, who married photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960. Princess Anne's wedding ring was also made from the same nugget of Welsh gold in 1973.
The tradition of using Welsh gold in royal wedding rings has continued into more recent years. For example, the wedding rings of Prince Charles and Princess Diana were made from pure Welsh gold from the Clogau St David's gold mine. Welsh gold was also used in the wedding rings of the Duchess of York in 1986, the Earl and Countess of Wessex in 1999, and Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in 2005. When Kate Middleton married Prince William in 2011 and became the Duchess of Cambridge, her wedding ring was also made from pure Welsh gold.
The tradition was carried into its 95th year with the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on 19 May 2018. Meghan Markle's wedding ring was made from pure Welsh gold. More recently, King Charles and Queen Camilla continued the tradition by wearing Welsh gold wedding rings to the King's coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey on 6 May 2023.
Welsh gold is considered rare and exclusive, and its presence in Clogau jewellery can be identified by the Welsh dragon stamp and other unique marks. Welsh gold wedding rings are also popular among those outside the Royal Family, with many couples choosing 100% 18-carat Welsh gold for their wedding bands.
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The wedding rings of Prince Charles and Princess Diana
Prince Charles and Princess Diana were married on 29 July 1981. The wedding was a grand affair, with 750 million viewers tuning in from around the world. The couple exchanged vows at St Paul's Cathedral, with Princess Diana wearing a heavily embellished wedding dress with a record-breaking 25-foot train designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel. She also wore the Spencer Tiara, a family heirloom, and low-heeled silk satin pumps customised with the letters "C" and "D".
Princess Diana's engagement ring was a 12-carat Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds and set in 18-carat white gold. The ring was designed by Garrard and was estimated to be worth £60,000 at the time. It is said that Princess Diana loved the ring so much that she continued to wear it even after her divorce from Prince Charles.
The night before the wedding, Prince Charles sent Princess Diana a heartfelt gift—a signet ring bearing the crest of the Prince of Wales. However, Princess Diana chose not to wear this ring on her wedding day.
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Duchess of York's wedding ring
The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, received a Burmese ruby engagement ring from Prince Andrew in 1986. Prince Andrew designed the ring himself, choosing a Burmese ruby to complement Sarah's red hair. The ring consisted of ten diamonds surrounding the pigeon's blood ruby. The couple married on 23 July 1986 at Westminster Abbey.
The Duchess's wedding ring was made from a nugget of Welsh gold, a tradition shared by Princess Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, and Princess Anne. Welsh gold wedding bands have been a tradition in the royal family for centuries. The Duke of York gave Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, aka the Queen Mother, a sapphire ring with diamond accents and a Welsh gold wedding band.
The Duchess of York's daughter, Princess Eugenie, received an engagement ring with a striking resemblance to her mother's. Princess Eugenie's ring features a blush-coloured padparadscha sapphire surrounded by diamonds.
Since her divorce from Prince Andrew in 1996, the Duchess of York has continued to wear her wedding ring. She has attended various functions with her daughters, such as the investitures of the Duke of York into the Royal Victorian Order and the Order of the Garter, and Royal Ascot. On these occasions, she is afforded the courtesy of treatment as a member of the royal family.
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Kate Middleton's wedding ring
The wedding ring is a thin gold band that Kate and William allegedly designed with Bristol jewellery company Wartski. The use of Welsh gold in royal wedding rings is a long-standing tradition in the British Royal Family. The gold is sourced from the Clogau St David's gold mine and has been used in royal wedding rings for over 100 years.
Kate's engagement ring is a sapphire surrounded by diamonds and set in white gold. It was selected by Princess Diana from a range of rings presented to her by Prince Charles in 1981. The ring is considered one of the most popular of all time and has remained the talk of the town since Kate and William's engagement in 2010.
The ring has a romantic and royal history, dating back to 1840. Ahead of his wedding to Queen Victoria, Prince Albert asked British jeweller Garrard to create a special brooch made of diamonds and sapphires for her. Queen Victoria loved the gift so much that she decided to wear it on her wedding day as her "something blue".
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Frequently asked questions
Royal wedding rings in the UK are traditionally made from Welsh gold. This tradition has been carried on for over 100 years, starting with the wedding of Prince Edward and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1911.
Welsh gold is extremely rare and exclusive. It is identified by a Welsh dragon stamp and other unique marks.
Many British royals have Welsh gold wedding rings, including Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, Princess Diana, Duchess of York, Duchess of Cambridge, Duchess of Sussex, King Charles, and Queen Camilla.
While Welsh gold is the most common material for British royal wedding rings, other royals have used different materials. For example, Queen Elizabeth's wedding ring was a simple gold band.
