10 Iconic Jewelry Pieces of Diana, Princess of Wales Not Loaned From The Queen

More than 25 years after the tragic car crash in Paris that claimed the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, her memory still lives and the world continues to remember her iconic presence.

Her beauty, impeccable taste in fashion, and unique warmth are still celebrated around the world. And her countless supporters still admire her glamorous sense of style. 

The young Princess of Wales wearing a three-strand pearl choker

One of the most lasting fashion legacies of the late Princess of Wales is her extensive collection of jewelry, which we still see today worn by her two daughters-in-law, Catherine and Meghan.

The Princess of Wales on her way to her honeymoon aboard the royal yacht Britannia

During her 15-year marriage to then Charles, the Prince of Wales, Diana acquired an extensive collection of jewelry not loaned by Queen Elizabeth II, but pieces of jewelry she either purchased or received as gifts. 

His two sons, Prince William, and Prince Harry inherited part of her jewelry collection, which they eventually gave to their respective wives. However, Catherine and Meghan cannot sell them because these pieces are part of royal family heirlooms.  

Here are 10 of the most iconic jewelry worn by the late Princess of Wales:

1. Sapphire Engagement Ring - The most iconic of all Diana's jewelry pieces is this stunning 12-carat Ceylon Sapphire Engagement Ring. It symbolized Diana's happiness and loneliness, nonetheless, it went on as the most popular engagement ring in the world.

Charles, the Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer on their official engagement announcement

Prince Charles reportedly apologized and promised the teen aristocrat he would give her in the days to come. However, odd to say, the Prince of Wales did not pick it for his future bride, and he did not have a ring when he proposed to the 19-year-old Lady Diana Spencer over dinner.

Days later, Garrard's Jewelry, the Crown jeweler, brought a tray full of beautiful engagement rings to Buckingham Palace for Lady Diana to choose.

The future Princess of Wales was reportedly ecstatic and picked the largest one, the 12-carat Ceylon sapphire ring surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds and set in a platinum band. 

Diana, the Princess of Wales

According to Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell in his book, The Royal Duty, following the death of the Princess of Wales in Paris in 1997, he asked Prince William and Prince Harry which personal items of their mother they wanted to keep.

Prince William chose her Cartier Tank Watch with a black strap because it was precious to his mother as it was an 18th birthday gift from her father, Johnny Spencer, the 8th Earl of Althorp.

Prince Harry chose the sapphire engagement ring because he knew it was special to his mother. However, in 2010, when his brother planned to propose to Kate Middleton, Harry gave the engagement ring to William to let the memory of their mother be part of the momentous celebration of love.

2. Seven-strand Pearl Sapphire Choker - This large oval sapphire and diamond piece was originally   brooch and was a wedding gift from Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother to her new granddaughter-in-law.  

Diana wearing her sapphire choker and sapphire earrings

In the early years of her marriage, the Princess of Wales wore this piece as a brooch but soon after, she had the sapphire converted into a clasp for a seven-strand pearl choker.

She was seen many times wearing this stunning pearl sapphire choker. We have not seen this piece so far publicly since her death in 1997.

3. Cartier Tank Watches - Princess Diana loved watches. She had at least two Patek Philippe and two Cartier tank models. Her classic Cartier Tank Louis watch on a black alligator strap was a gift from her father, Earl Spencer of Althorp, for her 18th birthday. 

Princess Diana wearing Cartier Watches

It became one of Diana's favorite watches which she wore almost every day, when she died, this watch was kept by Prince William. However, we have not seen his wife, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, so far wear this classic watch.

On more formal occasions, Princess Diana wore a gold Cartier Tank Française watch. This watch was inherited by Prince Harry which he eventually gave to his wife, Meghan.  

4. Saudi Sapphire Set - This sapphire suite includes a pair of dropped earrings, a necklace, and a bracelet. This jewelry set was a wedding gift for the new Princess of Wales from Crown Prince Fahd of Saudi Arabia.

The Princess of Wales wearing a sapphire necklace

She wore the complete set in 1983 during a reception held in a hotel in Brisbane during their Australian and New Zealand Tour in 1983.

The Princess of Australia in 1983 wearing sapphire pieces of jewelry and the Spencer tiara

The Princess of Wales stepped out in a pink evening gown from Victor Edelstein during the reception, with a pair of metallic shoes, and her wedding headpiece, the Spencer Diamond Tiara. So far, we only saw the earrings worn by Catherine, the Princess of Wales.

5. Sultan of Oman Sapphire Suite - The Prince and Princess of Wales made a visit to the Middle East in 1986, including a stop in Oman. During their visit, Sultan Qaboos of Oman presented Princess Diana with a suite of jewels set with diamonds and sapphires. 

The stunning set embraces a pair of crescent-shaped diamond and sapphire earrings, a matching necklace, and a bracelet. The design was a typical 1980s with a crescent-moon motif on each piece. We haven't seen anyone wearing this set of Diana's jewelry.

6. Three-strand pearl choker - One of Diana's luxury jewelry pieces, before she married Prince Charles in 1981, was this three-strand pearl choker. It consisted of three rows of pearls with a turquoise and pearl cluster clasp. It was a gift from her father, Earl Spencer, on her 18th birthday in 1979.

Princess Diana holding Prince Harry at his christening in 1984

Princess Diana wore it publicly in 1981 on her way to the Royal Yacht Britannia for her honeymoon with Prince Charles. She would wear it many times in the 1980s, including at Prince Harry's christening in 1984.

7. South Sea Pearl Earrings - Featuring a circular design of diamonds and a single diamond-encrusted pearl, these dangling earrings were worn by Princess Diana at numerous occasions in the 1990s. However, the origin of how the late Princess of Wales acquired this piece of jewelry remained unknown.

South Sea Pearl Earrings were later passed to Prince William who gave them to his wife, Catherine. The new Princess of Wales modified the earrings and replaced the original pearl drops with smaller pearls.

8. Collingwood Pearl Earrings - These elegant pair of earrings were part of the wedding gifts from Prince Charles in 1981. The earrings were created by the London jeweler, Collingwood. 

Collingwood Pearl Earrings were frequently worn by Diana during her lifetime. They were inherited by Prince William and in recent years were seen worn by his wife, Catherine, on several occasions.

9. Aquamarine pieces - Princess Diana owned a pair of aquamarine earrings which she wore for the first time in 1987 during her Cannes Film Festival appearance with Prince Charles. 

Princess Diana wearing a pair of aquamarine earrings

The earrings were made out of "whopping pear-shaped aquamarines, surrounded by diamonds and suspended from a diamond flower cluster".

She also owned an aquamarine ring - This magnificent aquamarine ring was crafted by Asprey London upon Diana's divorce in 1996, using a stone gifted to her by her friend, Lucia Flecha de Lima. 

Princess Diana wearing her aquamarine ring

The design is flanked by trapeze cut diamonds, a mixture of a yellow gold band, and a white gold mount. The emerald-cut aquamarine is estimated at 30 carats.

The ring was passed on to Prince Harry upon her death in 1997. It was seen on Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex at their wedding reception in 2018.

10. Patek Philippe watches - The late Princess of Wales had at least two Patek Philippe watches. For her 20th birthday, which occurred three weeks before the royal wedding in 1981, Prince Charles gifted her with a gold woven bracelet along with an 18K yellow gold Patek Philippe watch with a champagne dial.

Princess Diana wearing two Patek Philippe watches as she attends a polo match. Prince Charles competed during the match

Years later, she was seen wearing another Patek Philippe watch with a black strap, probably given to her by her husband, the Prince of Wales. Reports have it that each time the Princess of Wales watched Prince Charles play polo, she would wear two Patek Philippe watches.

She stopped wearing these Patek Philippe watches in 1986 and began wearing a Cartier gold watch.

She