The Dazzling Ring That Stirred Controversy: Alice Vanderpump’s History with Kenneth Tong Revealed
An 18-carat diamond ring set the stage for a dramatic Instagram post this week, as Alice Vanderpump, the 24-year-old star of Made in Chelsea, proudly flaunted the massive jewel in front of a captivated audience. The post, shared by the ultra-wealthy reality star Kenneth Tong, showed Alice flashing the diamond while dining at a restaurant with Tong. The image quickly went viral, with Kenneth’s 11 million followers showering the post with admiration. But it also sparked outrage—none other than Alice’s husband, Sam Vanderpump.
Sam, a member of the famous Vanderpump family, expressed his fury by sending a direct message to Tong, demanding the image be taken down. According to Sam, Alice had only met Kenneth once, and the post was misleading.
However, Kenneth Tong tells a very different story. In an exclusive interview with The Daily Mail, he insists that just months before Alice met Sam, the two became close friends, with Kenneth showering Alice with lavish gifts and even proposing to her with that very 18-carat ring.
Tong claims he lavished Alice with extravagant presents during their friendship, including a cashmere Louis Vuitton jacket, Chanel handbags, and a £3,700 vintage Van Cleef necklace. According to him, their bond was built on mutual admiration, and he even describes their time together as “magical.” Tong recalls flying to China to visit Alice when she was living there in 2023, a visit that solidified their relationship.
Despite this, Alice’s representatives deny that any proposal took place, explaining that she merely “tried on the ring for fun” and that she had met Kenneth only once while abroad. Alice’s team insists there was no romantic involvement, calling the claim of a proposal “false.”
The now-infamous ring, described as a stunning natural color diamond set in platinum, remains at the center of a storm of speculation. Tong, however, is adamant about his feelings, saying, “No material need of hers was ever denied… I’d have bought her anything she wanted.” He even goes as far as to claim, “If she had asked for an apartment at One Hyde Park, I would have bought it for her.”
Kenneth Tong, once known for his controversial appearance on Big Brother UK in 2009, has built a reputation as one of social media’s most provocative figures. He was notorious for his past posts endorsing harmful body image ideals, which sparked outrage globally and led to public apologies.
Alice Vanderpump, who is married to Sam Vanderpump (the nephew of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Vanderpump), has certainly come a long way from her former relationships. She has worked as a successful model, even overcoming a traumatic accident that left her with burns on her face, arms, and chest. Now part of the Vanderpump family, she shares a son, Marmaduke (Duke), with Sam, following a whirlwind romance that led to their marriage in 2025.
The diamond ring, however, brings to light a much older chapter in Alice’s life—one full of excess, opulence, and a connection to Kenneth Tong that continues to haunt their present.
Today, Alice is seen as part of a glamorous reality TV family, sharing her life with viewers on Vanderpump Rules. But her past, particularly the extravagant relationship with Tong, remains part of her complicated backstory—one defined by fame, fortune, and a glittering diamond ring that caused more than just a stir.
Stay tuned for more details as this story continues to unravel.
