Overview

• An unsuspecting buyer paid £15 for the ring in a Leicester charity shop before auctioneer Charles Hanson identified its royal provenance.
• Commissioned by the Prince Regent after Princess Amelia’s death in 1810, the piece is one of only 52 made by Rundell, Bridge & Rundell.
• White enamel on the band denotes Amelia’s unmarried status and bears her last words beneath a crowned motif.
• Historians note that Amelia’s death from tuberculosis contributed to King George III’s mental decline and inspired intense royal mourning.
• The ring is now in secure storage ahead of the June 12 sale at Hansons, where bidders from the UK and abroad are expected to compete for the piece.