- - All About Grace Kelly's 2 Engagement Rings (Including Why Prince Rainier Quietly Gifted Her a Second 10-Carat Ring)

Erica MarrisonJanuary 17, 2026 at 4:00 AM

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Grace Kelly strikes a pose to show off the engagement ring given by Prince Rainier III of Monaco as she arrives in Chicago.

Grace Kelly is fondly remembered for her inimitable beauty and Academy Award-winning acting talents, but her engagement rings have a famous legacy, too.

Grace became a princess in 1956 after marrying Prince Rainier of Monaco, whom she met during a photocall at the Prince’s Palace of Monaco, which had been scheduled to support her trip to the Cannes Film Festival.

The pair got engaged in 1955 when Rainier proposed over the Christmas holidays. The first ring he popped the question with was an eternity band, while the second was a Cartier emerald-cut stone, the more famous of the two. It remains one of the most expensive engagement rings in history and has influenced the rings of countless women today, from Beyoncé to Amal Clooney.

“We have pictures of them peering in at the windows of the Cartier store on the Rue de la Paix [in Paris],” Pierre Rainero, Cartier’s director of image, heritage and style told Vogue. “I don’t know if they were already married or engaged, but perhaps they were choosing this ring."

Rainero added that the Cartier archive holds proof of the ring’s transfer from Paris to a Cartier shop in Monaco.

From the proposal to the rings’ continued influence today, here's everything to know about Grace Kelly’s engagement rings.

Grace Kelly had two historic engagement rings

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Grace Kelly in 'High Society' (1956).

While Grace's emerald-cut stone is the most iconic, she actually received two engagement rings from Rainier. Some say this was intentional, while others speculate that the second ring came out of circumstance.

The first ring, which Rainier proposed with, was an eternity band, alternating heirloom red rubies and diamonds from Rainier’s family. The combination of white and red stones was intended to be representative of the Monaco flag, per Vogue.

Rainier gave Grace her second ring, the iconic emerald-cut diamond with two bezel-set baguette side stones, while she was filming High Society. The film was Grace's last before leaving her acting career to pursue royal duties.

According to Brides, allegedly, when Prince Rainier heard that Grace was going to wear a large fake engagement ring in the film, he offered to get her an additional one instead.

The three-stone second engagement ring became well known for its massive emerald-cut diamond in the center. Grace wore it instead of the eternity band for years.

Prince Rainier proposed to Grace Kelly in Pennsylvania

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Grace Kelly showing her engagement ring to her mother while her father and fiance Prince Rainier III, of Monaco looks on.

Grace was born in Philadelphia to an affluent family. It was at their family home in East Falls, over the Christmas holidays in 1955, that Rainier proposed.

The couple announced their engagement on Jan. 5, 1956, through a press conference at the Philadelphia Country Club.

Grace Kelly's emerald cut ring has a 10.48-carat diamond

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Princess Grace of Monaco, circa 1963.

Known for its incredible value, Grace's second engagement ring held a whopping 10.48-carat diamond.

At the time, this was one of the biggest engagement rings in the world and remains historic today.

Grace Kelly’s three-stone engagement ring is one of the most expensive in history

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Grace Kelly poses for a portrait in 1956.

Reportedly, Grace's emerald-cut, three-stone engagement ring cost approximately $4 million in 1956, per Brides.

Currently, the ring is estimated to be worth about $38.8 million.

Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier married in Monaco City

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Wedding of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco to Princess Grace on April 19, 1956 in Monaco.

Grace's marriage to Rainier took place over two days. The first day, April 18, 1956, was the civil ceremony, which was in the throne room of the Prince's Palace, while the following day, the religious ceremony was held at Saint Nicholas Cathedral.

The wedding, which was attended by over 600 people, was met with mass attention globally and viewed by over 30 million people on live TV.

“It was such an incredible affair, and it’s left such a mark on people,” the couple’s only son and heir, Prince Albert, told PEOPLE in 2017.

He continued, “What it has meant for people has been incredible. For us, it was — and you’ll have to ask my sisters [Princess Caroline and Princess Stephanie] — for us, it was our parents getting married. But what it’s meant for Monaco, for people around the world, and, how their story continues to fascinate people, that’s something unimaginable.”

Grace's wedding dress was made by her longtime costume designer, Helen Rose, and was gifted to her by MGM Studios. It has since inspired the wedding gowns of other famous women, from Kate Middleton to Naomi Biden.

Where are Grace Kelly's engagement rings now?

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Grace Kelly's engagement ring on January 6, 1956 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In 1982, Grace died after suffering a stroke, which led to a car crash. Per Brides, according to reports, her rings went into the possession of the House of Grimaldi, the reigning family of the Principality of Monaco.

They have remained in their care since, with the exception of a 2016 loan to Cartier’s Fifth Avenue mansion in New York City, where they were temporarily put on display.

on People

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