The Duchess of Sussex’s official coat of arms was finally revealed to the public Friday, and it holds many nods to the new royal’s former life in California.
“A Coat of Arms has been created for The Duchess of Sussex. The design of the Arms was agreed and approved by Her Majesty the Queen and Mr. Thomas Woodcock (Garter King of Arms and Senior Herald in England), who is based at the College of Arms in London,” Kensington Palace said in a statement.
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Scroll through and learn about the hidden meanings of Markle’s new coat of arms.
Direct Honor
Featuring multiple tributes to Markle’s home in Los Angeles, California, the coat of arms was gifted directly to her rather than to her father, Thomas Markle Sr., an act that breaks royal tradition.
Kate Middleton’s father, Michael Middleotn, received his family’s coat of arms about a week before her daughter’s wedding to Prince William.
Meghan Helped with Design
The Suits alum reportedly worked closely with the College of Arms to create the design, which mixes personal and official symbolism, allowing for her personality to shine through the display.
The Background
In honor of Markle’s hometown, the blue background of the shield represents the Pacific Ocean off the California coast.
Two Golden Rays
The two golden rays along the right side of the shield are in honor of the royal’s sun-filled childhood days growing up in Southern California.ย
Three Quills
The three quills are of special meaning to Meghan, a symbol of her activism and love of the written word. The quills honor Markle’s past work as a calligrapher.
She also shared her love for handwritten letter on her former lifestyle blog, The Tig: “I think handwritten notes are a lost art form. When I booked my first [TV] pilot, my dad wrote me a letter that I still have. The idea of someone taking the time to put pen to paper is really special.”
The Flowers
On the grass beneath the shield sit a collection of golden poppies, California’s state flower, along with wintersweet, flowers that grow at Kensington Palace. The combination represents Markle’s California roots blending with her new life and duties in the British Royal Family.
The Supporter
It is customary for supporters of the shield to be assigned to members of the royal family to have one of their husband’s supporter, the lion, to appear with one of themselves.
Markle’s is a songbird, a symbol of communication set to reflect her outspoken nature and passion for activism. The songbird is also seen in mid-flight, which could be a nod to her independent nature and a reflection of how much she has accomplished on her own.
How it will be displayed
The coat of arms of a married woman is traditionally shown with that of her husband and the two are are technically termed to be impaled, which means they are placed side by side in the same shield.
Meghan’s other honors
Along with now being known as Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Markle also received a Coronet laid down by a Royal Warrant of 1917 for the sons and daughters of the Heir Apparent. It is composed of two crosses patรฉe, four fleurs-de-lys and two strawberry leaves.
Conjugal Coat of Arms
Next for Markle will be for her and Harry to receive their “conjugal coat of arms.” The honor typically takes a few years before it is unveiled, but is set to symbolize the royal union.
