Meghan Markle’s Diamond Pinky Ring Sparks Speculation

The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has been the subject of much speculation lately after she was seen wearing a diamond pinky ring on the cover of Time magazine.

The ring, which features a two-carat emerald solitaire worth an estimated $62,000, was created by celebrity jeweler Lorraine Schwartz.

However, questions have arisen about the ring's origins, with rumors swirling that it may have been given to her by an unknown Middle Eastern donor.

Despite mounting speculation, the Sussexes have refused to clarify the ring's origins.

Initially, a representative for the couple claimed that the ring was sourced by a stylist, sidestepping any suggestions of a mystery diamond donor.

However, in a surprising turn of events, they later rolled back the denial and clarified that they were referring only to a ring on Meghan's left hand, a $525 pinky ring from Chiffon, which is meant to represent women's empowerment.

This leaves the question of the Lorraine Schwartz ring on her right hand unanswered, fueling further speculation about the provenance of the diamond.

The ring was first seen on her finger in October 2020, leading some to wonder if she received it when she was still a working royal, despite there being no public record of her receiving one, as per royal protocol.

Buckingham Palace only publishes a list of gifts received by royals while on duty in the UK or overseas, and there is no public record of Meghan being given any diamonds.

Gifts sent to the royals outside of official engagements are recorded but not made public.

The Palace directed inquiries about the diamonds back to the Sussexes' representatives in the US.

If the diamond did indeed come from the Middle East, it's not clear if Meghan received the gift while she was still a working royal, or after she performed her final official duties in early March 2021.

She did not visit the region officially, but there's always the possibility she made a private trip.

This is not the first time that Meghan has been criticized for wearing jewelry with questionable origins.

Earlier this year, it emerged that she wore a pair of chandelier diamond earrings on her tour of Fiji in October 2018 that were a wedding gift from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The Crown Prince, known as MBS, has been accused of ordering the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Michael Eisner, who heads up a human rights group founded by Khashoggi three months before his death, said, “Those earrings were bought with blood money and given to her by a murderer, she has no business wearing them.”

The chopard earrings were presented to the Queen by the Crown Prince as an official gift for Markle on her wedding day to Harry in 2018.

Meghan's lawyer has said she had no knowledge at the time of the reports linking MBS to Khashoggi's death.

The Crown Prince, who is Saudi Arabia's deputy prime minister and day-to-day ruler, has said he bears responsibility for the murder because it happened under his watch but has denied prior knowledge of the execution.

Despite the controversy surrounding her jewelry choices, Meghan continues to make headlines with her fashion.

In fact, she sported a staggering $445,000 worth of jewelry while posing for the cover of Time's most influential people issue alongside her husband Prince Harry, including the Lorraine Schwartz piece that's been spotted on her hand several times.

The mystery over the pinky ring remains unsolved, leaving many to wonder if Meghan has something to hide about the provenance of the diamond.

As the debate continues, it's clear that the Duchess of Sussex will continue to make headlines both for her fashion choices and her philanthropic work.