Move over, bridal trends—classic styles continue to capture the heart. Meghan Markle’s trilogy ring, a cushion-cut diamond flanked by two smaller stones, reigned as the most coveted celebrity engagement ring in a U.K. poll by the Natural Diamond Council (NDC).
The survey of 2,000 British adults, conducted ahead of Valentine’s Day, placed Markle’s ring—which was designed by Prince Harry using a diamond from Botswana and two from Princess Diana’s collection—firmly at the top of the list, three spots ahead of Kate Middleton’s ring.
The top five celebrity engagement rings, according to the poll, belong to Markle, the Duchess of Sussex; Mila Kunis; Adele; Catherine, the Princess of Wales; and Zendaya.
While the popularity of the Duchess of Sussex’s ring shows a clear draw toward traditional styles, the NDC study also noted some fascinating shifts in engagement ring preferences, including a surge of interest in colored stones among the younger generation (18-24)—though nearly half of respondents (46%) still gravitate toward colorless or white diamonds.
Also hinting at a desire for bolder, more personalized expressions of love, the survey revealed that oval cuts are gaining traction with Gen Z couples. Overall, the more traditional round brilliant and emerald tied as the preferred cut. “We are seeing a noticeable shift toward ovals being the new rounds for the younger generation,” said Lisa Levinson, U.K. head of the NDC, in a statement.
The quest for individuality is a driving force in today’s engagement ring landscape, according to the NDC. A significant 30% of respondents expressed a preference for bespoke designs from private jewelers, dwarfing the 9% who would opt for a high street store. Uniqueness ranked as the most important factor in choosing a ring, followed by clarity of the diamond.
And despite the buzz around lab-grown diamonds, the allure of natural diamonds persists. Some 72% of men—a higher percentage than for women—said they preferred a natural stone. Nearly one in three respondents (29%) who claimed to be disappointed with their engagement ring said the reason was it had a lab-grown stone.
“These findings highlight that natural diamonds are the preferred choice when choosing an engagement ring,” Levinson said. “This reflects the customers’ desire for individuality, as each natural diamond is inimitably unique.”
Size does matter, the NDC study showed: 57% of those disappointed with their rings said the reason was the stone wasn’t big enough. A surprisingly large 20% even confessed to feigning enthusiasm for a ring they didn’t truly love.
The element of surprise remains a romantic ideal for about a third of those polled (34%), but many more of them (48%) prefer to embark on the ring selection process as a couple. And while Valentine’s Day might seem like the quintessential proposal moment, only 6% of those surveyed actually dream of getting engaged on Feb. 14. The largest percentage, 29%, expressed no date preference.
Top: Meghan Markle, wearing her engagement ring, at the 2025 Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler in January (photo: DPPA/Sipa USA/Sipa via AP Images)
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