In terms of jewellery, no one does it better than the royal families – especially when it comes to engagement rings.
Many of Europe's princesses and queens received exceptionally lavish diamond rings upon their engagement, but one of them stands head and shoulders above all the others when it comes to price.
The jewellery experts at 77 Diamonds recently took a look at the rings of the women in the European royal families, ranking them from most to least expensive, and the results may shock you.
Tobias Kormind, the co-founder, commented: "When European royals propose to their partners, they know that their every move is going to be scrutinised and discussed by the papers and the public, including the engagement ring."
He continued: "It appears that royals are split into two distinct categories when it comes to engagement ring selection. The first is a royal who wants a ring to reflect the long history and tradition of their family and the country's monarchy, with a piece that is often passed down from previous generations. Then we have the royals who opt for something altogether more contemporary, perhaps in a bid to appear thoroughly modern and in-keeping of the trends and the tastes of the time."
The jewellery expert concluded: "Whichever route they choose, the rings are always stunning in their design, be it classic or contemporary, and incredibly valuable."
Scroll down to see which European royals have the most expensive rings...
1/8
© Pool InteragencesPrincess Charlene of Monaco
Charlene Wittstock became the Princess Consort of Monaco when her then-boyfriend Prince Albert proposed to her in secret in 2010, not having asked for her father's blessing beforehand.
With an estimated value of £250,000, Princess Charlene's engagement ring features a pear-shaped diamond thought to be between five and six carats, with a platinum band, and it's the most expensive of the European queens' and princesses'.
2/8
© Tim GrahamQueen Camilla
Camilla Parker-Bowles was given a seven-stone ring featuring an Art Deco design when the now-King Charles III proposed to her back in 2005.
Right at the centre of the ring, there's a five-carat emerald cut diamond, surrounded by three diamond baguettes, making for an undeniably striking piece that has an estimated value of £240,000
The ring is also a royal heirloom, originally belonging to Charles' grandmother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, who was first pictured wearing it back during the 1980s.
3/8
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands
When Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands proposed to Máxima Zorreguieta in 2001, after just under two years of dating, he used a ring that is believed to have a three-and-a-half-carat oval-cut diamond flanked by white emerald-cut diamonds. It has an estimated value of £200,000.
4/8
© ullstein bild via Getty ImagesGrand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg
Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg proposed to Maria in 1980, using a four-carat cochin ruby with a yellow gold setting, that is believed to be valued at £180,000.
5/8
© BELGA/AFP via Getty ImagesQueen Mathilde of Belgium
When the engagement of Prince Philippe of Belgium and Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz was announced in September 1999, the world saw the incredible three-carat Burmese ruby engagement ring he presented to her.
With its centrepiece stone surrounded by accent diamonds, the ring now has an estimated worth of £150,000.
6/8
© AFP via Getty ImagesQueen Mary of Denmark
King Frederik X and the Queen of Denmark have now been married for over 20 years, with the eldest son of Queen Margrethe proposing to his wife back in 2003.
When he asked for her hand in marriage, he presented her with a one-and-a-half-carat emerald-cut diamond ring, which has a central stone surrounded by rubies and an estimated value of £55,000.
7/8
© Getty ImagesQueen Silvia of Sweden
Queen Silvia, the wife of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, was presented with a family heirloom upon proposal: a two-carat single solitaire diamond engagement ring that supposedly belonged to his mother. It has an estimated value of £50,000.
Though the Swedish royal still wears her ring, she stacks it with her wedding band and a different diamond and ruby ring.
8/8
© GettyQueen Letizia of Spain
King Felipe VI of Spain proposed to the glamorous journalist Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano in 2003, using an incredibly modern diamond engagement ring, made up of 16 baguette-cut diamonds set into a band that is either platinum or white cold.
Unlike most other engagement rings, there is no centre stone, making this an incredibly unique design among the European royals. It has an estimated worth of £25,000.
See a breakdown of the seven most expensive royal weddings of all time...
