Prince Harry Says the Rumors About Kate Middleton’s Engagement Ring Are ‘Absolute Rubbish’

It’s no secret thatKate Middleton’sblue sapphire engagement ringused to belong to her late mother-in-law,Princess Diana. But according toPrince Harry, the rumors about howPrince Williamobtained the ring are completely false.

In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry addressed gossip surrounding the Princess of Wales’s now-iconic accessory. Reports claimed that the Duke of Sussex, 39, gifted the ring to Prince William once he realized that Prince William’s relationship with Princess Catherine was heading toward a proposal.

Prince Harry debunked the rumors and revealed they are entirely inaccurate. “The papers published florid stories about the moment I realized Willy and Kate were well matched, the moment I appreciated the depth of their love and thus decided to gift Willy the ring I’d inherited from Mummy, the legendary sapphire, a tender moment between brothers, a bonding moment for all three of us, and absolute rubbish: none of it ever happened,” he wrote in his book.

According to Prince Harry, Prince William always had the ring in his possession. “He’d asked for it after Mummy died, and I’d been more than happy to let it go,” the Duke of Sussex explained.

The engagement ring features a 12-carat Ceylon sapphire that’s encapsulated by a white gold setting. The accessory was originally designed by crown jeweler Garrard. Princess Diana liked it so much that she continued to wear it even after she and Charles divorced in 1996.