With the announcement today that Prince William and his girlfriend Kate Middleton are finally engaged after a long courtship, speculation has already begun to build about what kind of Engagement Ring the future Queen of England will wear in the lead up to what will be perhaps the key high society wedding in 2011.

Whether Ms Middleton will have much say in the matter of choosing her engagement ring is up for grabs. The British Royal Family, like any other monarchy in the world, are notoriously keen on protocol and past Engagement Rings for key members of the family have been hand-made and sourced from one supplier.

Perhaps tradition will be broken this time however. Prince William has been keen in the past to showcase himself as a modern man living in a modern world and letting his future wife choose her engagement ring from wherever and whatever she pleases would be sign of his acceptance to bring the British Royal Family into the 21^st century. He would probably gain a few more admirers from his already bulging female fanbase too.

Of course the lucky princess-to-be will be able to choose from a wide variety of Rings at the number one ring comparison site in the UK, but here at Rings.org.uk we are realistic and suspect that the Royals don’t use price comparison sites like us mere mortals!

Whilst Clarance House reports “delight announcing the engagement of Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton”, Prime Minister David Cameron wished them “great joy in their life together”.

The wedding is likely to take place ahead of the London 2012 Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, also in 2012.

Already speculation is being made on dress designers, hats, shoes and accessories for Kate Middleton but also for her Engagement Ring.

Following Royal tradition started in 1923 by the Queen Mother, Kate’s engagement ring may indeed be made from a nugget of Welsh Gold. Handmade in court style by Wartski and sourced from the Clogau St David’s mine in Bontddu, Wales, the precious metal is second to none.