Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
Queen Elizabeth II broke many records with her 70 year reign; however, she also holds another “record” in the Royal Family- the most romantic engagement ring.
Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten received a tiara from his mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg (known as Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark after her wedding). It was a historic piece, a gift that Alice received from Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra as a wedding gift.
Princess Alice had committed herself to a religious life and had no further need for jewels. Philip was able to use them, though.
The Royal Navy Lieutenant had a very limited salary and little else to his name, meaning that he did not have the money to buy an engagement ring for the future Queen of the United Kingdom.
Philip was able to dismantle his mother’s tiara into individual stones.
The future Duke of Edinburgh turned to London-based jeweller Philip Antrobus to create a suitable engagement ring.
The ring is in an Art Deco design and features a round, three carat diamond with several smaller, pavé-set diamonds on either side set in platinum.
Philip also had several of the other diamonds set into a geometric bracelet, also set in platinum.