A striking new diamond ring on Meghan Markle's right hand captured attention during her courtside appearance alongside Prince Harry at the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday evening.
The Duchess of Sussex, 44, joined her husband at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles for the basketball fixture, where the couple sat among high-profile guests including Barack and Michelle Obama, Queen Latifah, and Vin Diesel.
As the pair posed for photographs and acknowledged cameras, a substantial sparkler on her right ring finger drew immediate notice from observers.
The piece, clearly separate from her wedding jewellery, glinted prominently when NBA social media staff approached the couple for content.
Meghan Markle appears to 'upgrade engagement ring story' with new jewel
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Jewellery specialist Trang Do, founder of bespoke fine jewellery house Kimjoux, offered her assessment of the eye-catching accessory.
She said: "It could also point to an upgrade or evolution of her engagement ring story.
"Many clients today are choosing to refresh their rings to mark milestones, whether an anniversary, a personal achievement or a new chapter, rather than waiting for a traditional proposal moment."
She continued to tell the Mail that "wearing a significant ring on the right hand often symbolises independence, self-love, and personal power."
Meghan Markle could be seen with a new jewel on her right hand
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The expert estimated the oval-cut stone measures between four and six carats, noting its warmer tone compared to Meghan's engagement ring.
"If it is a diamond, I would expect it to sit within a lower colour range, which is actually very on-trend at the moment," Ms Do observed.
Despite its considerable size, the heritage-inspired setting renders the piece "elegant rather than ostentatious," according to the designer.
Ms Do suggested the newest oval-cut addition "feels much more like a self-purchase," potentially marking a significant personal milestone.
Meghan Markle famously altered the band of her engagement ring in 2019 | GETTYLATEST ROYAL NEWS:
The Duke of Sussex proposed to Meghan in 2017 with the three-stone ring that features diamonds from the late Princess Diana's jewellery collection
| PA"If confirmed natural and self-purchased, this could subtly signal a shift in personal narrative or a new chapter she's choosing to mark independently," the jeweller concluded.
Meghan's original engagement ring, designed by Prince Harry for his 2017 proposal, featured a cushion-cut diamond of approximately 2.5 to 3 carats sourced from Botswana, where the couple first holidayed together.
Two smaller round diamonds from Princess Diana's personal collection flanked the central stone, a detail Meghan described as ensuring Harry's late mother remained "a part of this with us."
The ring underwent its first modification in 2019, appearing at Trooping the Colour with a noticeably slimmer band.
According to Finding Freedom author Omid Scobie, Harry commissioned jeweller Lorraine Schwartz to resize and reset the piece with a micro-pavé diamond band.