- Buckingham Palace has recently added a $40 replica of Meghan Markle’s engagement ring to its online store.
- The Palace is also selling a pair of earrings and a necklace inspired by the ring.
- In 2016, the Palace had planned to sell a knockoff version of Kate Middleton’s ring, but an unnamed source cited by the Daily Mail suggested that the Duchess of Cambridge did not want the replica rings to be sold.
- Middleton’s engagement ring had once belonged to Princess Diana.
- Cleave and Company, which designed Markle’s engagement ring, also said it would not make replicas of her ring, though that doesn’t appear to have stopped the Palace from selling one.
The world got its first look at Meghan Markle’s three-stone engagement ring nearly a year ago in November 2017, and people have been fascinated with the royal diamonds ever since.
Just this week, Buckingham Palace began selling a £30 ($40 USD) replica of the engagement ring on its website. The crystal and metal replica rings are encased in a white box, which is printed with the royal couple’s initials in gold.
The actual engagement ring was originally gifted to Prince Harry from Queen Elizabeth II before being given to Meghan Markle. Now, anyone can own a copy of the diamonds by purchasing the replica online.
You can also get a necklace and pair of earrings inspired by Markle's ring
To match the ring, the website sells a Markle-inspired necklace for £30 ($40), which features crystals placed in the same order of the diamonds on her ring.
For a slightly cheaper option, the Royal Collection Shop offers engagement ring-inspired earrings for £25 ($32).
This royal jewelry collection might come as a surprise to some
In December 2017, Stephen Connelly - the director of Cleave and Company, the UK jeweler that designed Markle's ring - said that he would not make replicas of the ring despite its popular design.
"We're not going to be making replicas of it," Connelly told the Associated Press. "If you want a ring, then we'll design you a different one."
Regardless, that hasn't stopped Buckingham Palace from going ahead with recreating the ring, even if it can't be replicated exactly.
The center stone in Markle's ring is from Botswana, and the two side stones were taken from a ring previously owned by Prince Harry's mother, Princess Diana, making it a truly one-of-a-kind jewel.
Don't expect Buckingham Palace to sell a replica of Kate Middleton's engagement ring, though
Though you may want to pick up a replica of Kate Middleton's sapphire stone while you shop for the one that looks like Markle's, you'll probably never have the chance to do so from the official Palace retailer.
According to a Daily Mail report from January 2016, the Palace had planned to sell replicas of Middleton's ring - which previously belonged to Princess Diana - as part of a collection of replica royal jewelry on its online gift shop. However, despite being manufactured, the knockoff rings were absent from the line.
As the Daily Mail report noted, at the time a representative for the gift shop did not comment on the missing replica ring. But an unnamed Palace source who spoke to the publication suggested that Middleton did not want the replica ring to be sold.
"I expect the feeling at Kensington Palace is that it's rather naff to sell cheap copies of Diana's engagement ring," the source said. "One can hardly blame Kate for vetoing the idea of them selling a knock-off of the ring she wears every day."
The Royal Collection Shop did, however, sell other items inspired by Middleton's ring. Not only was a miniature version of the ring sold in the form of a charm, but the store also sold replicas of the ring's matching earrings and necklace. None of these pieces are still available today.
For those who still wish to get their hands on a replica of Middleton's jewelry, don't worry. The website does feature replicas of some of her other pieces, like these Gold Drop Teardrop Earrings, which cost £55 ($72).
The shop sells plenty of other royal souvenirs and jewels, which you can find on its website.
Representatives for the Royal Collection Shop and Cleave and Company did not immediately reply to INSIDER's requests for comment.
Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.