'The most important charity shop find in a decade': Royal ring bought for £15 to fetch thousands in Derbyshire
A ring bought at a charity shop for just £15 is set to fetch thousands at auction after it turned out to be a rare 215-year-old Royal treasure.
The piece of jewellery was discovered among the shelves in a charity shop in Leicester before the unaware buyer took it to be valued by experts.
And they were left stunned to be told it was a Royal mourning ring from 1810, the era of King George III, which is now set to fetch between £3,000 to £5,000.
The 19th century ring was commissioned by the Prince Regent, later George IV, to honour his sister Princess Amelia, the youngest daughter of King George III.
Only 52 of the rings were ever commissioned by her brother and distributed among family and close friends after her funeral at Windsor.
Auctioneer Charles Hansons said the discovery was “the most important charity shop find I’ve heard about in a decade.”
He added: "I was stunned and dazzled.
"From a simple box emerged a piece of deeply personal Royal history - commissioned by the Royal family itself to honour a lost loved one.
"This mourning ring was created to commemorate the life and death of Princess Amelia, and it speaks volumes in its craftsmanship and symbolism.”
Princess Amelia, who was born on August 7 1783, died on November 2,1810 aged just 27, having battled tuberculosis.
The ring bears the poignant words “Remember me” beneath a crown and was crafted by the renowned Royal goldsmiths Rundell, Bridge & Rundell.
Charles added: “The white enamel used in the ring denotes that Amelia was unmarried at the time of her death.
“White enamel symbolised purity and innocence in mourning jewellery, particularly for those who died young or unmarried.
"It contrasts with the more commonly used black enamel, which signified general mourning.”
Princess Amelia, who was the youngest of King George III and Queen Charlotte’s 15 children, was said to be her father’s favourite.
Her death reportedly contributed to the King’s final and irrecoverable mental decline.
In a final act of devotion, Amelia is said to have pressed a ring containing a lock of her hair into her father’s hand, whispering “remember me” as she lay dying - words now immortalised in the ring's design.
An identical mourning ring was acquired by Queen Mary in 1935 and when originally created, the rings were priced at 58 shillings.
Charles added: “This find proves treasures still lie hidden on our high streets.
"It’s not just the monetary value - it’s the emotion, history and humanity behind this ring that truly moves you.”
Mourning rings became popular after the English Reformation, particularly during the 16th and 17th centuries.
They were said to serve as a poignant reminder of mortality and were often commissioned by families to mark the death of a loved one or commemorate significant events such as royal executions.
The ring will be sold by Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall, Derbys., on June 12.