""Have you ever wondered what Queen Mary's engagement ring looked like? We know what Queen Victoria’s and Queen Alexandra’s engagement rings looked like, as they were engaged and married significantly earlier than Queen Mary. Everyone is also familiar with Queen Elizabeth II’s stunning diamond ring. But what about Queen Mary’s engagement ring? Moreover, Mary should have had two engagement rings, as she was engaged once before her marriage to King George V. But what do we know about even one of these rings?
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When I created a video dedicated to the evolution of royal engagement rings in the British royal family, many viewers pointed out that I didn't mention Queen Mary at all. Perhaps it was an oversight on my part to omit her without a word, but the truth is, at that time, I couldn't find any information that would shed light on the mystery surrounding Mary's engagement ring.
Despite the immense interest in royal engagement rings, very little is known about Queen Mary's. From time to time, I revisited this question, gathering bits and pieces of information. And I did manage to uncover some intriguing details that I am excited to share with you.
The scarcity of information only adds to the allure and mystique surrounding this piece of royal history. As we delve deeper into this mystery, I invite you to join me on this captivating exploration of a truly remarkable royal jewel.
Let's turn back the clock and revisit the early years of Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, when she had no inkling that she would one day become Queen Mary of the United Kingdom.
Mary of Teck was Queen Victoria's first cousin once removed, and spent much of her childhood within the historic walls of Kensington Palace. Her mother, Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, was Victoria’s first cousin, since their fathers were brothers and both sons of King George III, and her father was Prince Francis, Duke of Teck. Mary was the first of four children, and she grew up with the nickname “May,” both as a diminutive of Mary and as a reference to the month she was born in.
As a teenager, May was known for her reserved and serious demeanor, lacking the youthful exuberance typically associated with young ladies of her age. However, this composure would serve her well in her future role.
Determined to become a respected noblewoman, she set exceptionally high standards for herself. She not only approached her duties with great care and thoroughness but also sought to refine her tastes by diligently studying art, history, music, and etiquette.
Like other women of the aristocracy and royalty, May was presented as a debutante at the age of eighteen in 1886. Unsurprisingly, she made quite an impression as one of the most sought-after young ladies of her time. Moreover, she was the only unmarried princess at court who wasn't descended from Queen Victoria herself.
At that time, Queen Victoria was preoccupied with finding a suitable match for Prince Albert Victor, also known as Prince Eddy, the eldest son of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. The Queen admired Mary's balanced character and intelligence, and she greatly appreciated her strong sense of duty. As a result, Queen Victoria influenced the choice of Mary as the prospective bride.
In December 1891, the engagement of Prince Albert Victor to Princess Victoria Mary of Teck was announced, with the wedding planned for February 27, 1892. 
And here we come to the most intriguing part of the story. What engagement ring did Prince Albert present to his beloved?
In a group photograph taken on the occasion of their engagement, as well as in several joint photographs of the betrothed couple, a ring can be seen on Mary's ring finger. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find any specific information about this engagement ring, and the quality of the photographs from that era does not allow us to discern the details of such a small piece of jewelry.
In my opinion, the ring is best visible in this photograph, presumably taken in 1891, shortly after the engagement. In this image, we can clearly see that the engagement ring consists of a band of diamonds and a colored stone. I have come across some sources mentioning rubies, but I am not confident in their credibility, as the link provided in these instances led to a photograph of the wedding ring belonging to Mary's mother, Princess Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck.
The news of the impending nuptials of Prince Albert Victor to Princess Victoria Mary of Teck sent ripples of excitement throughout the royal court and the nation, with people eagerly anticipating the grand celebration.
Unfortunately, their wedding was not meant to be. In January 1892, less than two months before the wedding, the Prince fell ill with influenza during the global pandemic of 1889-1892, and soon after, he developed pneumonia.
Even with the best medical care available at the time, Albert's chances of recovery were slim, and he passed away at Sandringham House on January 14, at the young age of 28.
The death of Albert, who was second in line to the throne, left the monarchy, Great Britain, and, of course, Mary in a state of profound shock.
When Albert passed away, Mary was visiting his family and witnessed the devastating consequences of his loss firsthand. "The look of despair on [Albert's mother's] face was the most heart-rending thing I have ever seen," Mary wrote to Queen Victoria shortly after her fiancé's passing.
Albert's death had an even greater impact on one particular member of his family: his younger brother, Prince George, Duke of York, who became second in line to the throne following Albert's demise.
The blow to the young Prince George and Princess May was indeed heavy. They mourned the loss of Albert together, and it was the shared sense of grief that brought them closer than ever before.
After the Royal bereavement, the Prince spent more and more time with Princess May. It was he who suggested that she should go abroad for a complete change and rest, and the Duchess of Teck and her daughter took his advice. They went to Paris and Cannes, and for nearly a year settled down in the South of France. It is said that the Prince wrote three times a week to the stricken Princess, and he made more than one trip over "Incognito," to cheer and comfort her.
When the Duchess and her daughter returned home, the Duke of York was the first to welcome them in London, and he became almost a daily visitor at White Lodge.
Meanwhile, Queen Victoria still considered Mary the ideal candidate for the role of wife to the future king, and the other members of the monarchy eagerly awaited George's marriage and the production of heirs to secure the line of succession.
In this story, everything fell into place. The Duchess of Teck, Queen Victoria, King Edward and Queen Alexandra, and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince George's uncle, all had a part to play in encouraging the match, and that was all that was needed to spur on the Royal suitor. And most importantly, Prince George himself also harbored tender feelings for Princess May.
In the lovely gardens around the residence, the future King George V wooed and won his sweetheart. It is said that it was in a secluded part of Richmond Park that the actual proposal was made.
Everyone knew in Royal circles that Princess May was a sensitive and proud young woman and that she would not be inclined to follow her own heart if the step could possibly lead to misunderstanding. It says a great deal for the love and tact of King George that he was able to surmount this barrier.
In April 1893, Prince George proposed to her, and Princess May joyfully accepted. During the period between their engagement and the wedding, the betrothed couple saw each other every day, and every morning, the Princess received a bouquet of rare flowers from her fiancé.
The couple married later that year, and when George ascended to the throne in 1910, she became the queen consort alongside him.
Although Queen Mary had once been engaged to his brother, her marriage to George was long and happy, and historical evidence confirms that the couple was deeply in love.
For instance, King George once wrote in a letter, "People only said I was marrying you out of pity & sympathy. That shows how little the world really knows what it is talking about."
But what about the engagement ring, an attentive listener might ask.
Some still wonder if King George even presented a ring at all. It is said that there is no conclusive information on this matter. However, I am confident that, despite all the difficult circumstances, a ring was indeed given.
Some historians suggest that if Queen Mary did have an engagement ring, it might have been bequeathed from the current main royal family to the Countess of Harewood or her daughter-in-law, but this is an unconfirmed assumption.
Unfortunately, I have been unable to find any reliable descriptions of the engagement ring or even a high-quality photograph. Perhaps the best photo where we can somewhat discern the ring on Mary's hand is from 1898, taken during the time when she was still The Duchess of York.
Here, we clearly see two rings on her ring finger in addition to her wedding ring. Does this mean that Mary wore both of her engagement rings? Are we seeing Prince Albert's engagement ring in this photo? Is it possible that Queen Mary was expressing a sentimental attachment to the deceased in this way?
Of course, when examining black and white photographs, it is extremely difficult to compare the rings to each other, but it seems to me that the middle ring closely resembles the one that Prince Albert supposedly gave her. Is this possible? Please share your thoughts in the comments. If this is not the engagement ring given by Prince Albert, then what ring could Queen Mary have been wearing?
But that's not all I have for you. While preparing this material, I found a few more rings from Queen Mary's collection that I would like to share with you.
Did you know, for example, that in honor of their engagement, Prince Albert had time to give Mary another ring? And unlike the engagement ring, there is a high-quality photograph of this one, thanks to the Royal Collection.
It is a gold and jewelled open ring in the form of a single band terminating at each end with a turquoise and a diamond. The date engraved inside the band of this ring is the date Prince Albert Victor proposed to Princess Mary of Teck.
The website also states: "it is not known whether this ring was presented at the same time, or in remembrance of her acceptance".
The next gold ring, featuring a single turquoise surrounded by ten diamonds. It seems that Mary had a great fondness for turquoise at that time. Her parents also gifted her a luxurious turquoise parure as a wedding present.
This ring was given by the future King George V to Queen Mary on the first anniversary of their engagement. The date engraved on it is May 3, 1894—the day the couple’s engagement was officially announced.
Incidentally, it is said that this anniversary date was celebrated by the King and Queen throughout their lives. On the evening of that day, only close relatives and dear friends of the King were invited to dinner, and His Majesty would propose the Loast of the Queen.
Another memorable ring, this time with sapphires, was given to Mary when she was still the Duchess of York. The ring was presented by Queen Victoria on the day of Prince Edward of York's christening, July 16, 1894.
This gold and jewelled ring consists of two sapphires surrounded by eighteen diamonds in a figure-of-eight form, in an open setting. The inscription "16 July 1894 from VRI" is also engraved inside the ring, with VRI standing for Victoria Regina Imperatrix.
Today, the ring is part of The Royal Collection.
The next ring was a wedding gift to the future Queen Mary from the town of Windsor in 1893. Queen Mary had the ring slight" Напиши концовку. Поблагодари за просмотр и спроси мнение зрителей об этом выпуске, пусть мыслями поделятся в комментариях. И напомни, чтобы подписались на канал (здесь очень кратко: если понравилось видео, поставьте лайк, подпишитесь и поделитесь этим видео). Пиши от первого (женского) лица