Blue Sapphire on the Engagement Ring of Prince William is from Sri Lanka

25th November 2010, www.news.lk

Speculation on the origin of the oval blue sapphire on the ring that gave Kate Middleton is now over.

This ring is the same one as given by his father, Prince Charles at his engagement to Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. It is now known that the oval blue sapphire adorning this ring came from Sri Lanka.

This ring is the most talked about engagement ring in the world today, revealing a sparkling contribution by Sri Lanka to the grandeur of Britain's royal heirloom.

The blue sapphire alone is 12-carat while the 14 solitaire diamonds clustered elegantly around it are set in 18-carat white gold which had cost £28,500 (45,000) USD at the time of purchase three decades ago. Before the Princess of Wales’s death in 1997, the ring was valued at more than £250,000 because of its connection to the royals, and in particular Princess Diana.