At that time, although Prince Philip was born in Greece, his family was not as rich as people thought. Philip's father is a major general in the Greek army. He left home when he was very young. According to the standard, due to the war, Philip and his mother, brothers and sisters were forced to flee France and finally settled in Paris.
When 1946 proposed to his then girlfriend Elizabeth, Philip's financial situation was not ideal, especially considering that he was dating the heir to the British throne. So his mother stepped in. According to "Town &; Country magazine reported that Alice expressed her willingness to let Philip build a band for his beloved with the crown diamonds she received on her wedding day.
Prince Philip accepted his mother's generous gift and collaborated with jeweler Philip Antero Booth Co., Ltd. to create this work. On July 1947, Elizabeth and Philip announced their engagement.
Although this ring is undoubtedly amazing, a jewelry expert revealed in ITV's "A Very Grand Royal Wedding" program that the size of this 3-carat central gem is "relatively moderate" for a princess. As the Express pointed out, considering the "British mood at that time", Philip probably made this ring like this, because Britain had just finished World War II.
In addition, considering the climate in Britain,1The wedding of Elizabeth and Philip on October 20th was lower-key than most royal weddings. In fact, Elizabeth saved war coupons to buy her skirt. Nowadays, although Her Majesty often wears her trademark white gloves, people still see her wearing this gem from time to time.
According to Metro, her engagement ring may now be worth about $257,000. But the touching story behind this gorgeous heirloom is of inestimable value.