Kate Middleton's Engagement Ring Was Originally Intended For Meghan Markle

• Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge's (AKA Kate Middleton) engagement ring from Princess Diana was originally destined for Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (Meghan Markle), according to The Diana Story documentary

Kate Middleton's engagement ring is one of the most iconic rings in the world. Initially belonging to her late mother-in-law Diana, Princess of Wales, the sapphire ring is now estimated be worth approx. £300,000 (it was originally purchased for £28,000). In 2010, William proposed to Kate with the same ring, marking another era in the jewellery piece's high profile history, but it turns out the famous ring wasn't always destined to be Kate's.

First, let's rewind a bit. The engagement ring - consisting of a 12 carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire, surrounded by a halo of 14 solitaire diamonds - was given to Princess Diana in 1981 by Prince Charles.

Aside from looking absolutely breathtaking, the ring also marked one of Diana's first breaks from royal tradition, choosing the design from a catalogue rather than opting for a custom ring (as was the custom).

In this sense, the jewellery piece represents both Diana's life and personality and, subsequently, holds strong significance for her sons.

The Express reports that, according to the Amazon Prime documentary The Diana Story, after Diana's passing in 1997 Harry and William were able to choose a momento of their mother's.

Paul Burrow explained that William chose Diana's Cartier watch, while Harry chose her engagement ring. As Harry's ring, the piece was destined for his future wife, Meghan Markle.

The story goes, however, that when Harry heard of William's plans to propose to Kate, he said "wouldn’t it be fitting if she had mummy’s ring?" and donated the piece.

"Harry gave up his precious treasure. His one thing he kept from his mother, he gave to his brother. That’s selfless, kind, and exactly who Diana was,” recalled Burrow, cites The Express.

While Meghan might not have ended up with Diana's most iconic piece, her engagement ring still gives a sweet nod to Harry's mum.

The three-stone design features a larger diamond flanked by two smaller diamonds taken from Princess Diana's own collection.