Few royal engagement rings have sparked as much quiet curiosity as the ruby sparkler Prince Andrew gave Sarah Ferguson in 1986. Decades after the couple’s divorce, the striking jewel has disappeared from public view, leaving royal watchers wondering what became of one of the British royal family’s most recognizable engagement rings.
Andrew proposed to Sarah Ferguson on March 19, 1986, with a custom-designed ring that stood apart from traditional royal engagement jewelry. Rather than selecting a classic diamond solitaire, the couple opted for something more distinctive: a three-carat Burmese ruby surrounded by ten brilliant-cut diamonds arranged in a floral cluster.
According to the couple’s engagement interviews at the time, they intentionally wanted something “slightly unconventional.” Royal tradition also holds that Andrew selected the vivid ruby because its rich crimson color perfectly complemented Ferguson’s signature red hair.
The ring was created by Garrard, then the official Crown jeweler, the same prestigious house responsible for Princess Diana’s famous sapphire engagement ring. Set on an 18-karat yellow gold band, the piece reportedly cost around £25,000 in 1986.
© Tim GrahamToday, experts estimate its value has risen to approximately £70,000, or about $93,000, thanks to inflation and its royal provenance.
She continued wearing it after the divorce:
Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew separated in 1992 before finalizing their divorce four years later.
© Tim GrahamDespite the end of their marriage, they remained unusually close, raising Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie together and continuing to share a friendly relationship for many years.
That bond was reflected in Ferguson’s jewelry choices. Unlike many former royal spouses, she continued wearing her engagement ring well after the divorce. Photographers captured her wearing the ruby while dropping Princess Beatrice off at school in 2000 and again during a public book signing in January 2003. After that, however, the ring quietly disappeared.
The ring’s whereabouts remain unknown:
Sarah Ferguson has not been photographed wearing the engagement ring since late 2003, and she has never publicly explained what happened to it. As a result, its current location remains one of the enduring mysteries surrounding the York family.
© Tim GrahamWithout confirmation from Ferguson, several possibilities remain. The ring may simply be stored privately, perhaps in a family safe or secure vault.
It could also have been set aside as a future heirloom for Princess Beatrice or Princess Eugenie, preserving its sentimental value for the next generation. Another possibility is that it was sold privately, although no public record has ever confirmed such a transaction.
Its legacy lives on through Princess Eugenie:
Although Sarah Ferguson’s original engagement ring has vanished from public view, many royal jewelry observers believe its influence can still be seen today.
© JONATHAN BRADYWhen Jack Brooksbank proposed to Princess Eugenie in 2018, he presented her with a rare padparadscha sapphire engagement ring featuring a similarly shaped floral diamond cluster. While the centerpiece is a pink-orange sapphire instead of a ruby, the overall silhouette closely echoes Ferguson’s famous ring.
© WPA PoolBrooksbank later explained that he chose the unusual gemstone because its changing colors reminded him of Eugenie, making the design both deeply personal and subtly reminiscent of her mother’s iconic jewel.
Today, Sarah Ferguson’s ruby engagement ring remains one of the British royal family’s most intriguing unseen jewels. Whether tucked away as a cherished family keepsake or simply stored out of public sight, its absence from public view has only added another chapter to the remarkable story behind one of the monarchy’s most distinctive engagement rings.
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