I want a replica of Kate Middleton's engagement ring--the one with the humongous oval sapphire (appropriately, my birthstone) surrounded by tiny diamonds. You know the one!
Prince Charles gave it to Princess Diana for their engagement. They were married on July 29, 1981. I remember the day well. I got up before 4 a.m. to ride my bike to the house in Southampton, Long Island, where a friend worked as a mother's helper for the family of a coffee-machine mogul. Starry-eyed girls in our late teens, Sue and I watched the exquisite ceremony on TV together. I was a summer lifeguard in the uber-rich town. Only two months younger than Diana, I fancied that I looked like her on a good hair day when my locks were very short. We both were blond, blue-eyed, and broad-shouldered.
Our personalities were also similar. Both of us were shy introverts who had come out of our shells out of necessity. Both of us were highly sensitive and perceptive about other people to the point at which their inconsiderate actions caused us a lot of pain. And both of us were not skilled at hiding our emotions. Hello, Sourpuss Face!
But she had me beat hands down in the height and curvaceousness departments. And well, duh, in the clothing, jewelry, title, social calendar, and everything else departments as well.
Nevermind. A girl can dream, can't she?
The blue stunner graced the left hand of The People's Princess until her shocking death in a horrific car accident in a Parisian tunnel on August 31, 1997. Years went by. I don't recall hearing about the ring. Meanwhile, her dashing first-born son Prince William grew up and fell in love with a sporty college classmate named Kate Middleton. Except for one breakup lasting a few months, the relationship between the royal and commoner lasted nine years thus far. Speculation spread that Kate was The One for William, and that he would make it official. Sure enough, they got hitched on April 29, 2011.
Happy-go-lucky spare to the heir Prince Harry, it turned out, had been in possession of his mother's ring since her death. In a very generous gesture, he gave it to his brother to give to Kate. The public first glimpsed it adorning her hand during the photo shoot marking the couple's engagement. The then-future Duchess of Cambridge wore a simple yet fashionable navy blue wraparound dress that perfectly matched the ring.
It is gorgeous, of course. But that's not why I would like a replica. To be honest, I am not terribly attracted to conservative, classic-style jewelry--or clothing, for that matter. I prefer a more outdoorsy/bohemian look.
Rather, it is a touch of duchess I seek.
While Kate has been favorably compared to Diana in beauty, stature, and style, it is her grace I would like to emulate. She is poised on every occasion and, unlike Diana, seems to genuinely enjoy each one. She is grounded, friendly, relaxed, and fresh--in the good sense, like a daisy. Or so she seems. She is a much more successful royal than Diana, in my opinion, because she married for love. She is a happy person and nearly a decade older than Diana when she married, which makes a big difference in terms of maturity. As a brand new royal, she has not been tested in the same way as Diana. In other words, her husband hasn't blatantly cheated on her.
Kate and William's bond appears to be a partnership for the ages.
Following damage done during the Diana years and the finger-pointing aftermath, there was much talk about the decline or impending demise of the British royal family. Then Kate arrived on the scene and singlehandedly rehabilitated the monarchy with her bright and down-to-earth demeanor, calm willingness to take on a sometimes grueling schedule, and unflappable steadiness of character.
My life is challenging on a daily basis. Sometimes it would just be nice to be sprinkled with a little duchess dust. The closest I can come to that is by wearing a replica of the royal engagement ring . . . at least once in a while. I don't anticipate putting it on every day. Instead, I would save it for special occasions or when I need a pick-me-up. Gazing at the ring, I would become imbued with the Essence of Kate--the next best thing to a Kate Middleton fragrance of which there is none and will likely never be one because that would be too commercial and tacky.
Given the popularity of these replicas, it may be surprising to learn that I have only actually seen one in the flesh. It was on the finger of an attendee at a writing conference in Seattle I went to last summer. It looked lovely, not cheap like from a Cracker Jack box.
Back home I saw a photo in a magazine of one being sold on Kohls.com. I cut out the tiny picture and looked at it for many, many months. Only recently did I Google the ring to see a wide assortment being sold by multiple vendors online. I'm seriously considering making a purchase. It very well may happen because I've been interested long enough.
And who can't use a touch of duchess from time to time?
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