At noon today, St James's Palace announced the grant of new Armorial Bearings to Mr Michael Middleton by Her Majesty the Queen, through the good offices of the College of Arms with which The Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies and Achievements have enjoyed close ties for the last fifty years; indeed, several of the heralds including Kings of Arms have served the Institute as Trustees and Vice-Presidents. Michael, father of Kate Middleton petitioned for arms to mark his daughter's marriage to Prince William on 29th April this year.
The design, described heraldically as Per pale Azure and Gules a Chevron Or cotised Argent between three Acorns slipped and leaved Or, features three sprigs of oak separated by a golden chevron sandwiched between two narrow white chevrons; the background is divided vertically, the left half being blue and the right half red. The language of Heraldry is complex and arcane, but those seventeen words encode many symbolic ideas. The three sprigs of oak represent the three Middleton children, Catherine (Kate), Philippa (Pippa) and James; the oak tree features in the coat of arms of Berkshire (Kate's county of birth), and symbolizes strength, and, of course, England. The golden chevron represents Kate's mother, Carole, whose maiden name was Goldsmith, and signifies a mother's place at the centre of the family. The narrow white chevrons symbolize peaks and mountains and indicate the family's love of the Lake District and skiing. The background colours of red and blue are taken from the national flag; the two colours or "tones" are divided down the middle, perhaps as an allusion to the family surname of Middleton.
Are you interested in Heraldry? Achievements, the research arm of the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies, is the perfect place to come for expert advice and beautiful artwork, whether for assistance with a new grant of Armorial Bearings or a one-off piece of commemorative heraldic art.
