Countess Sophie's romantic £105k engagement ring has special royal connections
Prince Edward may not have realised it at the time, but the gorgeous engagement ring he gave to the Countess of Wessex, then Sophie Rhys-Jones, had several links to the royal family.
PHOTOS: 21 royal engagement rings that are total show-stoppers: From Zara Tindall to Kate Middleton
The Queen's son and the former PR executive announced their engagement in January 1999, after Edward proposed with a diamond ring that was made by British royal jeweller Garrard – who was also responsible for Princess Diana's iconic sapphire and Sarah Ferguson's Burmese ruby.
WATCH: Most expensive royal weddings revealed
Design-wise, Sophie's ring was nothing like her sisters-in-law's, but it does bear several similarities to Her Majesty's special rock from Prince Philip and, more recently, the Duchess of Sussex's sentimental trilogy ring from Prince Harry.
MORE: Best photos from Prince Edward and Sophie's 1999 wedding
REVEALED: Most expensive royal engagement rings revealed in order of price
The Countess of Wessex has a stunning trilogy engagement ring
Sophie's extremely elegant ring features a two-carat central oval diamond that is flanked by two smaller, heart-shaped diamonds, and sometimes the Countess wears it alongside her gold wedding band. The ring is reported to be worth somewhere in the region of £105,000 ($149,000).
Tempted by a three-gem ring? We adore this white gold beauty.
Sonata engagement ring, £1,110, Brilliant Earth
SHOP NOW
Sophie and Edward went on to say 'I do' in June 1999 at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, which is also where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle chose to say their vows. Larger royal weddings such as that of Prince William and Kate Middleton tend to take place at Westminster Abbey, thanks to its imposing grandeur.
MORE: Sophie Wessex shares rare personal message as she celebrates 23rd wedding anniversary
RELATED: Why Kate Middleton's iconic engagement ring was not given to Meghan Markle
Sophie Wessex sometimes wears her jewel alongside her wedding ring
A whopping 200 million viewers tuned in to watch Prince Edward's royal wedding, where Sophie wore a beautiful Samantha Shaw dress and a breathtaking tiara borrowed from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's private collection.
The couple have since become parents to two wonderful children: James, Viscount Severn, born in 2007, and Lady Louise Windsor, born in 2003.
The Queen allowed Sophie to wear one of her tiara's for her royal wedding
The family live together at Bagshot Park in Surrey, which was in fact a wedding present from the Queen over 20 years ago!
The Grade-II listed building is set within 51 acres of land, and has 120 rooms, offering the family plenty of space inside and out. It is also located just 11 miles away from Windsor Castle, which is now believed to be the Queen's permanent place of residence.
READ: Princess Diana shunned royal heirlooms for £123k engagement ring
HELLO!'s selection is editorial and independently chosen – we only feature items our editors love and approve of. HELLO! may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. To find out more visit our FAQ page.
Planning your wedding? Sign up to HELLO!’s brand new Bride Guide newsletter for expert advice, budget help, wedding inspiration and real life stories delivered straight to your inbox.
