Wedding Wednesday: Lady Jennie Churchill

Oh to be young, famous and in love. So maybe were the thoughts of the likes of Clementine Hozier and Winston Churchill. While I could find no photos of the future Prime Minister's beloved wearing her engagement ring, it is well documented that it actually belonged to another Mrs. Churchill (better known as Lady Jennie Churchill) before it was gifted to Clementine.

You see, Winston Churchill's mother was New York Socialite, Jennie Jerome, the second of four daughters born to Leonard Jerome, a wealthy speculator, sportsman and financier. Just think on that for a minute - one of the most well known Prime Ministers of Great Britain was half American. <insert gasp here>

Jennie's first husband (she was ultimately married three times, the second two, to much younger men), was Lord Randolph Churchill. They met and three days later were engaged and as the story goes, Lord Churchill presented Jennie with three engagement rings. A ruby and diamond, sapphire and diamond "halo" ring and diamond "halo" ring. Romance at its best, and maybe the original “yesterday, today and tomorrow” sentiment.

Lord Churchill passed away and Jennie went on to pursue other relationships (it's fairly well documented that she'd also pursued several WHILE married, many of which helped her husband and son in their political conquests).

And that left young Winston, who had worshipped his mother from afar as a child (his upbringing was left mostly to his nanny), to offer Clementine a “most wonderful ring” with a ruby center flanked by two diamonds,

I have to say I'm partial to the all diamond ring, but I certainly wouldn't turn down any of the three, should a Churchill descendant come a-callin'. ;-) Which of Jennie's rings do you like best? Tell me in the comments, please!