LONDON — A coat of arms created especially for royal bride-to-be Kate Middleton was unveiled Tuesday.
Described as “strong, simple and very English,” the new design will be featured on a souvenir program of the April 29 royal wedding.
The new crest was granted to her father, Michael Middleton, who applied for a personal coat of arms from the College of Arms in London.
The Middletons worked closely with Thomas Woodcock, who is Garter King of Arms and responsible for royal heraldry, in order to develop a design that portrayed the whole family.
Woodcock said, “It’s not compulsory but as their daughter is marrying into the royal family she will have a need probably to use a coat of arms.”
He said that Middleton could have been granted her own heraldic design but her father wanted it to be used by the whole family.
The design incorporates three acorns, which each have oak leaves attached, representing Middleton and her two siblings, Pippa and James, who were brought up in west Berkshire, southern England, where oak trees are plentiful.
“The Middleton family particularly wanted acorns or oak and I think Catherine Middleton in particular was responsible for the idea of these oak sprigs,” Woodcock said.
The gold chevron in the middle represents Carole Middleton, who had the surname Goldsmith before she married. It emphasizes a mothers’ place at the centre of the family.
The background is made up from the two main colors from the United Kingdom’s national flag.
In an incidental pun, which is traditionally achieved in many heraldic designs, the two colors, or “tones,” are divided down the “middle,” which alludes to the family name of Middleton.
After the royal wedding, the Queen will give instructions for Middleton’s arms to be “impaled” beside Prince William’s in a single shield.