Meghan Markle just added a Welsh gold wedding band to her jewelry box after marrying Prince
Harry, but the new Duchess of Sussex already owns quite an array of rings and bangles.
While she only just gained access to the Queen's vault of jewels — her wedding tiara counted
as "something borrowed" — Meghan may refrain from borrowing some of the glitzier pieces.
Here's how Meghan's minimalist pieces stack up.
Her engagement ring is half the size of Kate's.
The Duchess of Cambridge of course received Princess Diana's sapphire cluster back in
2011, but Prince Harry designed a ring for his bride with an equal amount of sentimental
value.
He sourced the center stone from Botswana — where they visited early in their relationship
— and the two additional diamonds came from his mother's collection.
Altogether the ring is about 6.5 carats, Money estimates.
The center gem on Kate's is about 12 carats alone — not to mention the 14 other diamonds.
Given their royal associations, however, experts value both pieces as "priceless."
Her go-to metal is yellow gold.
Prince Harry said that he selected yellow gold for Meghan's engagement ring because
it's "her favorite," and based on what his bride has worn in public recently, he's right
on the money.
She wore this collection of glimmering bangles at a concert for the Queen's 92nd birthday
in April.
One of her most expensive pieces appeared at Christmas.
The double-diamond white gold earrings came from Birks, which is the "a Canadian store
equivalent of Tiffany’s".
It's the same brand that supplied the opal earrings she wore at her engagement announcement.
The trendy jacket style has the second gem suspended from the earring back instead of
the front.
Altogether they contain 1.39 carats of diamonds and cost approximately $7,000.
Not a bad way to meet the entire extended royal family!
She's also worn mismatched earrings.
Everyone was too busy looking at Meghan's messy bun during her January visit to Cardiff
Castle to notice her asymmetrical studs.
On her right side she wore Zofia Day's Dash Ear Studs, while in her left ear she had Gabriela
Artigas's Yellow Triple Shooting Star Earring.
"It shows that she has a very down-to-earth attitude while still presenting herself with
sophistication," Zofia Day founder Lisette Polnyn said of Meghan's playful look.
She wears a thumb ring.
Meghan Markle shook hands with people at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in
April wearing thin bands on nearly every finger, including her thumb.
The move was unusual for a British royal to do, but she'd done it before on a trip to
Scotland.
And she stacks rings on her other fingers.
While not everyone can afford multi-carat diamonds, this is one Meghan-inspired jewelry
look more people can get in on.
On a visit to Scotland she wore a $60 Missoma Interstellar Ringand a majorly affordable
$44 Catbird Threadbare Ring.
She had worn her wedding earrings before.
Kate Middleton wore new Robinson Pelham pendants given to her by her parents on her wedding
day, but Meghan reached for a pair of Cartier studs she'd previously debuted at an Invictus
Games event just the month before.
According to the jeweler, the design of the collection "is a modern allegory of seduction
featuring harmonious, interlacing curves that play with light and shadow."
She breaks up matching sets.
With all eyes on Queen Mary's bandeau tiara, it was easy to miss the dazzling tennis bracelet
Meghan wore on her right wrist.
The Cartier bangle apparently featured 104 brilliant-cut diamonds and another 52 baguette-cut
diamonds totaling 5.6 carats.
You can still buy one — but you'll have to cough up $155,000.
Later that night, she wore a pair of earrings from the same Reflection de Cartier collection
worth $68,000 (plus tax, mind you).
She followed some traditions though.
Meghan honored generations of royal brides before her by wearing a wedding ring made
of extremely rare Welsh gold.
The Queen Mother started the trend back in 1923, and Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret,
Princess Anne, Diana, Princess of Wales, and the Duchess of Cambridge all received bands
of the same metal.
But went right back to her signature style after the wedding.
For her first appearance as a Duchess at Prince Charles' birthday celebration, Meghan wore
Vanessa Tugendhaft's Idylle La Rose Earrings.
The 18-karat pavé diamond studs sold out 10 minutes later, according to the designer,
with the matching bracelet and necklace disappearing not long afterward.
She'd previously worn the brand's Infini ring and Precious Charm necklace, but it's official:
Her new royal status comes with some serious style power.