Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, accompanied by their 4-month-old son, Archie began their first official tour of Africa on Monday and to everyone's surprise, the Duchess of Sussex walked around without her engagement ring and sparked fresh controversy, that everything is not well in the royal family.
The three-diamond engagement ring is reportedly valued at around $295,000. Several eagle-eyed observers noticed Meghan wearing her gold Welsh wedding band instead and also wore another dainty gold ring which is worth just a mere $250, reported Page Six.
A source close to the royal family told Hello! Magazine that Meghan left her engagement ring at home as she wanted to stay ''low key'' and not ''flaunt her wealth'' as she meets and greets the general public in Africa.
"Meghan's choice to forgo this expensive item reflects the inherent tension in being a member of the royal family... you might be a member of an obscenely rich clan, but you are never meant to flaunt that wealth. Appearing humble is a key job requirement for any working royal, even though you live in a castle and your family has a vault stuffed with priceless jewels," Royal expert and writer Daniela Elser told news.com.au.
Daniela Elser praised Meghan Markle for her down to earth and humble approach in making the common people feel comfortable in her presence.
"The very fact that Meghan was adroit enough to realize that and quietly left her rock elsewhere, I think, is a powerful signal. Firstly, of just how conscious she is about making others comfortable, secondly, that she is sensationally savvy image-wise and third, that she is more than happy to rewrite the rule book." she said.
Meghan and Harry are on a 10-day Africa tour which includes scheduled stops in Botswana, Angola and Malawi. The main focus is on protecting wildlife, mental health of the people and mine clearance. On Tuesday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex paid a visit to South Africa's oldest Mosque in Cape Town, Auwal Mosque which is a heritage site and 225-year-old structure.
