Meghan Markle Breaks Royal Tradition Yet Again — This Time With Her $262K Wedding Rings

Meghan Markle is no stranger to the occasional rebellious streak or breaking away from tradition. The Duchess of Sussex has broken many royal protocols, reportedly finding them suffocating. Most recently, eagle-eyed fans noted that she has also defied a time-honored tradition with her wedding rings.

Markle flaunted her three wedding rings in a ‘non-traditional arrangement’ while promoting her lifestyle brand, As Ever, on Instagram. In the picture, Markle is seen spooning a tea mixture into a tea bag. Though the post was meant to promote her products, what caught the attention of netizens was her stunning ring stack. As reported by the Daily Mail, the Duchess opted to wear her three-stone engagement ring first, followed by her eternity ring and then her Welsh gold wedding band. Jewelry expert Ann Grimmet revealed that the wedding band should typically be worn first, followed by the engagement ring.

Grimmet told The Knot, “Traditionally, the wedding band is worn closest to the heart, meaning it's placed on the finger first, followed by the engagement ring. However, like so many aspects of weddings today, it's really about personal preference.” Grimmet shared that wedding and engagement rings are often worn on the fourth finger of the left hand owing to a tradition that stems from the Roman Empire. She said, “The Romans believed that the 'vena amoris,' or the 'vein of love,' ran directly from the fourth finger on the left hand to the heart. This beautiful symbolism of connection and devotion has carried through centuries, becoming a meaningful tradition in many cultures today.”

Markle’s plush royal ring stack comprised her engagement ring from Prince Harry, worth £126,000 ($150,000), a wedding band worth around £9,550 ($12,700), and a £75,000 ($100,000) eternity ring. British jeweler Beaverbooks explained that eternity bands are typically added last, as the rings are often given to mark milestones in a relationship. Meanwhile, diamond expert Maxwell Stone also told Hello! magazine that Markle’s ring arrangement choices are “a subtle yet meaningful reflection of both her and Prince Harry's willingness to break from royal convention.” He added, “Their choice to embrace individuality over tradition mirrors their bold, modern approach to life and their roles beyond the royal family.”

The Duchess of Sussex is known to occasionally play with her ring order. People magazine reports that during her TIME100 Summit in New York City on April 23, she wore her wedding band first, followed by her eternity band and engagement ring. Similarly, at the 2025 Invictus Games, she sported her engagement ring first and followed it with her wedding band, adding a hand chain, for a friends and family reception. Reportedly, her wedding band was crafted from the same nugget of gold used for the late Queen Elizabeth and Kate Middleton’s rings. Stone also explained that Markle’s engagement ring features the birthstones of herself, Archie, and Harry, crafted carefully with conflict-free diamonds.