Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
She was the film star who married a prince and created the ultimate 20th century royal fairy tale. And Grace Kelly received not one but two engagement rings in the midst of this regal romance.
One of those rings is about as famous as royal jewellery gets. The huge diamond that Prince Rainier III of Monaco presented to Grace when they got engaged was photographed around the world as their story hit the headlines everywhere.
And, appropriately for the Hollywood star who became a princess, her engagement ring had a part in a celebrated film. In her last role before quitting acting to become a royal, Grace Kelly used her diamond as the engagement ring of her character, Tracy Samantha Lord, in High Society.
So there was plenty of time to study, close up, the emerald cut diamond of over 10 carats, flanked by two smaller diamonds on a platinum band, all the work of Cartier.
However, this wasn’t Grace’s only engagement ring. When she accepted the proposal of Prince Rainier, he presented her with a ruby and diamond ring, to match the colours of Monaco’s flag.
This sparkler, while still stunning, is much more simple. It’s an eternity style band, made up of alternating rubies and diamonds, with the gems drawn from the Grimaldi family connection, adding another layer of history to an already important ring.
Princess Grace’s more famous engagement ring, that huge diamond, will be on show in London later this year when it forms part of an exhibition centred on Cartier, taking place at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
It’s a fitting setting for a gem that became a symbol of one of the most famous royal romances of all.