# Meghan Markle's Engagement Ring: The Three-Stone Yellow Gold Story > A cushion-cut diamond from Botswana, two side stones from Princess Diana's collection, and a yellow gold band that shifted a decade of bridal-metal trends — here is every detail, plus how to get the look. *Published 2026-06-25 · By Sophie Bellange* In short Meghan Markle's engagement ring — a cushion-cut Botswana diamond of approximately three carats, flanked by two round brilliant stones from Princess Diana's collection, all set in yellow gold by London court jeweller Cleave & Company — is one of the most-studied rings in recent bridal history. Its three-stone setting and warm metal choice were both personally significant and, in retrospect, prescient: yellow gold has become the dominant engagement ring metal of 2026. This guide explains every detail of the ring, the 2019 Lorraine Schwartz redesign, what the cushion cut means for everyday wearers, and how to recreate the look at every budget. When Prince Harry got down on one knee at Nottingham Cottage in November 2017, the ring he produced crystallised several things at once: a deeply personal tribute to his late mother, a statement about a new chapter for the royal family, and — though neither of them knew it yet — a quiet reset of the bridal jewellery market. Meghan Markle's engagement ring has since generated an estimated 6,000 searches per month in the United States alone, and industry analysts at [National Jeweler](https://nationaljeweler.com/articles/14726-engagement-ring-trends-2026-what-s-in-and-why) consistently cite it as a documented inflection point in the yellow gold resurgence that now defines 2026 bridal trends. This is not a ring you simply read about and move on from. It is a ring that teaches you things: about how heirloom stones change the emotional physics of a piece, about the practical advantages of a three-stone setting, about why yellow gold flatters warm skin tones in ways white metal cannot, and about the ethical case for Botswana-origin diamonds. What follows is everything you need to know — ring designers, carat estimates, the 2019 redesign story, and a clear path to getting the look regardless of your budget. ## Who Designed the Ring, and What Does It Contain? Prince Harry designed the ring himself and commissioned **Cleave & Company** — a London court jeweller and medallist formally appointed by warrant to the late Queen Elizabeth II and headquartered at 1 Buckingham Place — to execute the piece. The company's founder, Peter Scott, trained under celebrated goldsmith Andrew Grima and built Cleave's reputation on the manufacture of state honours and bespoke royal commissions. Jeweller David Thomas worked through Cleave to execute Harry's design. The firm's [Royal Warrant listing](https://www.royalwarrant.org/company/cleave-company-limited) confirms its court status. The ring contains three principal stones: - **Center stone:** A cushion-cut diamond of approximately three carats, sourced from Botswana. Harry has described visiting Botswana as a teenager and returning with Meghan early in their relationship — the diamond is an intentional geographical marker of their shared history. - **Side stones:** Two round brilliant diamonds drawn from Princess Diana's personal jewellery collection, specifically from one of her diamond tennis bracelets. Markle said in the engagement announcement interview: *"It's so important to me to know that she's a part of this with us."* Harry added: *"She is with us on this crazy journey together."* The band was Harry's choice: plain yellow gold, made at Meghan's request. At a time when white gold and platinum still dominated U.S. and UK bridal sales, that choice was personal before it was prescient. Meghan Markle's Engagement Ring at a Glance Element Detail Designer Prince Harry, executed by Cleave & Company (London); jeweller David Thomas Center stone Cushion-cut diamond, approx. 3 carats, Botswana origin Side stones Two round brilliants from Princess Diana's collection (ex-tennis bracelet) Metal Yellow gold (original band); micropavé yellow gold band post-2019 Setting style Three-stone (trilogy), low-profile Estimated value (original, 2017) Approx. £120,000 (~$150,000 USD) Estimated value (post-2019 redesign) Approx. £200,000–£300,000 (~$250,000–$380,000 USD) Year of engagement November 2017 ## What Happened in 2019? The Lorraine Schwartz Redesign In June 2019 — shortly after the birth of their son Archie — Meghan appeared at Trooping the Colour wearing what was clearly a redesigned ring. The plain yellow gold band had been replaced by a considerably thinner band set with micropavé diamonds: small stones held in precise arrangements of tiny prongs, adding an estimated 0.75 carats of diamond weight to the piece. The commission went to **Lorraine Schwartz**, the Beverly Hills-based celebrity jeweller whose client list spans Beyoncé, Angelina Jolie, and Jennifer Lopez. Schwartz later described the project simply: *"Harry wanted to make it special. He's the loveliest person ever. So romantic, so thoughtful."* The redesign coincided with a complementary gift: an eternity band set with birthstones representing each family member — peridot for Meghan, emerald for Archie, and sapphire for Harry — with the stones set on the inside of the band, against the skin. The two rings together form a stacked look that Meghan has worn consistently since. The decision to alter a ring containing heirloom stones from Princess Diana drew some public commentary, but from a jewellery standpoint it is entirely standard practice: rings worn daily accumulate wear, and resetting in a new band or adjusting proportions after a pregnancy (which can temporarily alter ring size) is routine. The Diana side stones and the Botswana center stone were preserved unchanged throughout the redesign; only the band was modified. ## Why Yellow Gold Was the Right Choice — and What It Means for Your Ring The yellow gold decision is worth examining beyond the anecdote, because it carries real practical implications for anyone replicating the look. Yellow gold has now reclaimed the top position in U.S. engagement ring metal sales: The Knot's 2026 Real Weddings Study (surveying more than 10,000 U.S. couples) places yellow gold at 39% of engagement ring metal selections, nearly double its share from five years ago, ahead of white gold at 35% and platinum at 13%. [National Jeweler](https://nationaljeweler.com/articles/14726-engagement-ring-trends-2026-what-s-in-and-why) explicitly cites Markle's ring as a documented tipping point in this shift. There are three practical reasons yellow gold performs well with the Markle ring's configuration specifically: - **Skin-tone harmony.** Meghan Markle has a warm-to-olive skin undertone, which yellow gold flatters naturally — the metal's amber warmth creates harmonious contrast rather than competing with the skin. [Austen & Blake](https://www.austenblake.com/blog/engagement-ring-trends-2026) and multiple bridal editors describe this as one of the most commonly misunderstood pairing principles: warm undertones do not merely tolerate yellow gold, they are typically best served by it. - **Color grade latitude.** In a yellow gold setting, the warm metal blends with any residual warmth in the diamond's body color, making tint essentially invisible. A cushion-cut diamond at H or even I color in yellow gold will appear just as white face-up as a D-color stone in platinum — at a dramatically lower price point. This matters because cushion cuts, compared to round brilliants, show color slightly more readily due to their larger, slower-moving facets. - **Total-cost advantage.** Yellow gold requires no rhodium plating (unlike white gold, which needs re-plating every 12–18 months at approximately $60–$120 per service call). Over a lifetime of wear, yellow gold has a materially lower maintenance cost than its white-metal equivalent. For more on metal-maintenance economics, see our [gold color guide](https://caratyes.com/ring-styles-settings/gold-color-guide). ## The Three-Stone Setting: What It Means and How to Buy One Meghan Markle's ring belongs to the **three-stone** (also called trilogy or trinity) family — one of the oldest formal engagement ring configurations, in which a larger center stone is flanked by two smaller side stones. The most widely cited symbolic meaning is **past, present, and future**: the first stone for shared memories, the center for the present, and the third for what lies ahead. The Markle ring adds a second layer of meaning through the Diana side stones, turning the three-stone framework into something closer to a genealogical statement. From a design standpoint, the three-stone setting does several things a solitaire cannot: - It distributes visual weight across the finger, making the ring read as substantial even at moderate center-stone carat weights. - The side stones frame and accentuate the center stone, effectively increasing its perceived size without adding center-stone cost. - The configuration offers more points of interest and movement when viewed from above — three stones produce a richer light interaction than one. The trade-off is maintenance: three stones mean three sets of prongs to inspect twice a year rather than one. A solitaire is simpler to maintain long-term, though a well-made three-stone setting in yellow gold with round brilliant side stones is among the most structurally robust ring types. For a full comparison of three-stone versus halo versus solitaire — including cost impacts and resizing considerations — see our [setting types guide](https://caratyes.com/ring-styles-settings/setting-types-compared). **Side stone proportions matter.** The Markle ring uses side stones that are noticeably smaller than the center stone, at roughly 40–50% of the center stone's visible diameter — a classically proportioned three-stone that does not compete with the main stone. Some modern interpretations use equal-size three-stone designs or taper the side stones outward with baguette or trapezoid shapes. For the Markle look specifically, round brilliant side stones at a 1:2 ratio to the center stone are the correct reference point. ## The Botswana Diamond: Why Origin Matters Here Harry's choice to source the center stone from Botswana is not merely sentimental; it also represents one of the more ethically transparent diamond-sourcing decisions available for a newly mined stone. Botswana's diamond industry operates through Debswana, a 50/50 joint venture between the Botswana government and De Beers, which means the country receives half the revenue from every diamond mined domestically. Diamond proceeds have funded healthcare, education, and infrastructure in a country that has transformed from one of the world's poorest nations at independence in 1966 to an upper-middle-income economy today. This is a materially different ethical profile from diamonds with opaque chain-of-custody documentation. The Botswana origin claim is verifiable through the country of export at certification (Kimberley Process Certificates identify Botswana as origin), and several specialist retailers — including [Do Amore](https://www.doamore.com/the-meghan-markle-engagement-ring-ethics-class/) — have cited the Markle ring specifically as an example of ethically sourced mainstream celebrity jewellery. For a fuller explanation of what origin claims actually mean and where the Kimberley Process falls short, see our [conflict-free diamonds guide](https://caratyes.com/ethical-sustainable/kimberley-process-conflict-free). ## How to Get the Look: A Practical Guide by Budget The Markle ring's core visual elements — cushion-cut center stone, round brilliant side stones, yellow gold band, low-profile setting — are all widely available. The question is which component choices fit your budget. Here is a practical framework: Meghan Markle Ring Look: Configuration Options by Budget Budget Center Stone Side Stones Metal Approx. Total Entry ($3,000–$6,000) Lab-grown cushion, ~1.5–2 ct, G/H color, VS2 clarity Lab-grown round brilliants, 0.30–0.40 ctw 14k yellow gold $3,500–$5,500 Mid ($8,000–$15,000) Natural cushion, ~1.0–1.5 ct, G/H, VS2 Natural rounds, 0.30–0.50 ctw 14k or 18k yellow gold $8,000–$14,000 High ($20,000–$40,000) Natural cushion, ~2.0–2.5 ct, G/H, VS1–VS2 Natural rounds, 0.50–0.70 ctw 18k yellow gold $22,000–$38,000 True replica (~3 ct natural) Natural cushion, ~3.0 ct, G–H, VS2 Natural rounds, 0.70–0.90 ctw 18k yellow gold, bespoke setting $60,000–$120,000+ For most buyers, the entry or mid-tier configuration with a lab-grown center stone delivers the most faithful visual recreation of the Markle aesthetic. Lab-grown cushion-cut diamonds carry GIA or IGI certification and are physically and chemically identical to mined stones — the distinction matters for resale value and provenance preference, but not for day-to-day appearance. At the entry tier, a well-cut 1.5-carat lab-grown cushion in G color and VS2 clarity in a 14k yellow gold three-stone setting will be visually indistinguishable from the original ring to any observer without a loupe. See our guide on [what your budget actually buys](https://caratyes.com/budget-financing/ring-budget-tiers) for a complete carat-weight and quality breakdown across price tiers. One buying note specific to cushion cuts: this shape tends to carry weight in its depth rather than its face-up diameter, meaning a 1.5-carat cushion may appear smaller face-up than a 1.5-carat oval of identical weight. If maximum face-up size is your priority, consider a slightly elongated cushion (length-to-width ratio of 1.10–1.20) or ask your jeweller to select a stone with a shallower depth percentage (below 68%) — the face-up diameter will read closer to a 1.7–1.8-carat round brilliant equivalent. Our [diamond shapes guide](https://caratyes.com/diamonds-stones/diamond-shapes-guide) covers this in detail with a face-up size comparison table for all ten major cuts. ## Sources 1. [Meghan Markle's Engagement Ring Story](https://www.goodstoneinc.com/blogs/news/meghan-markle-engagement-ring) 2. [A History Of Meghan Markle's Engagement Ring | 2017 To 2026](https://www.countryandtownhouse.com/style/jewellery-and-watches/meghan-markle-engagement-ring-history/) 3. [Engagement Ring Trends 2026: What's In, and Why](https://nationaljeweler.com/articles/14726-engagement-ring-trends-2026-what-s-in-and-why) 4. [Cleave & Company Limited](https://www.royalwarrant.org/company/cleave-company-limited) 5. [The Meghan Markle Engagement Ring: Ethics & Class](https://www.doamore.com/the-meghan-markle-engagement-ring-ethics-class/) 6. [Three Stone Engagement Rings](https://www.brilliantearth.com/engagement-rings/three-stone/) 7. [Revealed: Engagement Ring Trends For 2026](https://www.austenblake.com/blog/engagement-ring-trends-2026) --- Source: https://caratyes.com/celebrity-rings/meghan-markle Index: https://caratyes.com/llms.txt · Full text: https://caratyes.com/llms-full.txt