Does Kate Middleton Find Replicas Of Her Engagement Ring Disrespectful?

Knockoffs of Kate Middleton’s engagement ring were reportedly pulled out from a new Royal Jewelry-inspired collection because of the Duchess of Cambridge’s request. The replicas of the infamous sapphire and diamond ring were supposed to be the highlights of the new collection that can be purchased online or at the Historic Royal Palaces gift shop.

Middleton’s engagement ring is comprised of 14 diamonds that surround a 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire. The withdrawal of Middleton’s engagement ring replicas left Bill Skinner Studio, the official manufacturer, confused. Only the rings were withdrawn because people could still buy the rings’ matching earrings and necklaces for £14.99 ($22) and £29.99 ($44). “We do make the ring but they don’t want us to supply it to the gift shop,” a spokesperson of the accessories maker told Mail Online.

Royal insiders believe that Prince William’s wife might have stopped the planned sale because of the engagement ring’s significance to her. After all, the ring originally belonged to the late Princess Diana. Kensington Palace reportedly thinks that selling the knockoffs is a tacky move.

“I expect the feeling at Kensington Palace is that it’s rather naff to sell cheap copies of Diana’s engagement ring. One can hardly blame Kate for vetoing the idea of them selling a knock-off of the ring she wears every day.”

Prince William and Middleton’s engagement was officially announced in November 2010. The now father-of-two declared at that time that giving the ring to his other half was his way of ensuring that Princess Diana “didn’t miss out” on the happy occasion.

Historian Leslie Field said that the late Princess of Wales specifically chose the ring from former crown jeweler Garrard & Co. for her engagement to Prince Charles not because it was the biggest from the choices, but because its beauty caught her attention.

“She [Diana] had obviously already said she would like a sapphire; she had half a dozen rings [to select from] and she chose this one purely because she liked it. Somebody came up with the story that she immediately went for the biggest, but I asked her and she told me it definitely wasn’t the biggest, she simply thought it was very beautiful.”

A spokesperson for the Historic Royal Palaces told Express that the replica rings were not withdrawn as they were never included in the collection to begin with.

“Our jewelry collection celebrates the history of the palaces in our care, and the public lives of the monarchs who have lived in them. We have been selling this particular collection of jewelry for almost ten years, and we have never sold a replica of the ring as part of that set.”

The spokesperson did not address the reports that it was the Duchess of Cambridge herself who banned the replica rings’ inclusion in the collection. Middleton is celebrating her 34^th birthday and the Buckingham Palace made sure to extend its greetings.

Wishing The Duchess of Cambridge @KensingtonRoyal a very happy birthday! #HappyBirthdayHRH pic.twitter.com/BQh4HxZs3o

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) January 9, 2016

Meanwhile, a new baby bump report coincided with her birthday. As per Life and Style, the celebrant is allegedly two months pregnant, and that Prince William couldn’t be happier because he really wanted to have a large family.

This is not the first time that Middleton was reported to be pregnant with her third baby. In September 2015, several news outlets reported that she was in the “early stages of pregnancy” even if Princess Charlotte’s birth just took place in May. While she was pregnant with Princess Charlotte, it was likewise claimed that she was expecting twins.

[Image via Chris Jackson/Getty Images]