Wallis Simpson's Engagement Ring Was A Royally Iconic Piece Of Jewelry

Before Meghan Markle, another American took the United Kingdom by storm close to a century ago. Wallis Simpson had captured the heart of King Edward VIII, who was so enraptured by her that he abdicated the throne shortly after gaining power in 1936. One fascinating part of this royal love story was the stunning rock the former king proposed to Simpson with, which could be counted as one of the most beautiful in our guide to the royals' gorgeous engagement rings. As seen in the photo of Simpson below, the socialite proudly wore the engagement ring to show the world.

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While Grace Kelly was proposed to with a legendary 10.48 carat ring (though it wasn't her first), the Duke of Windsor took things a step further by selecting a mesmerizing 19.77 carat emerald ring to adorn Simpson's hand. And he didn't walk into a jewelry shop to get it, for the British royal went straight to Cartier to have it made. Edward also requested to add a personal touch as a token of his affection, and had the phrase "We Are Ours Now 27 x 36" carved into the band, with the numbers signifying the date the couple got engaged. After Simpson's death, the ring was later sold at a Sotheby's auction in 1987 for a whopping $1.98 million.

Aside from her unforgettable engagement ring, Wallis Simpson was quite the collector of statement jewelry pieces. As a notable socialite and later the Duchess of Windsor, her jewels became the centrepiece of a Sotheby's auction, and one such iconic fixture is her panther bracelet, which Simpson had been photographed wearing before. As her husband did for her engagement ring, Simpson went to Cartier and had it custom-made for her, with the panther encrusted with diamonds and onyx. The bracelet eventually fetched a staggering £4.5 million at auction in 2010. 

While Simpson was no stranger to commissioning jewelry for herself, the Duke of Windsor never stopped lavishing his beloved wife with expensive gifts. He gifted her the eye-wateringly beautiful Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry collection that consisted of a necklace, a bracelet, and a brooch that were all encrusted with rubies and diamonds. Similar to the engagement ring, Edward couldn't resist adding a sweet message for his wife. The bracelet had the phrase "Hold Tight" inscribed into it, which perfectly encapsulates how deeply the late royal felt for Simpson.