Conjugal Arms of TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Revealed

Conjugal Arms of TRH The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge
(C) The College of Arms

The Conjugal Arms of TRH The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge, which had been formally approved by HM The Queen in February, were revealed to the public yesterday, 27 September 2013. Conjugal Arms do not alter the separate and distinct individual shields of The Duke or The Duchess -- they are merely a means of identifying a married couple by displaying their shields side by side.

Although not seen very often, Conjugal Arms are firmly rooted in royal tradition and have been used by HM The Queen & HRH The Duke of Edinburgh as well as by TRH The Prince of Wales & The Duchess of Cornwall. Conjugal Arms are traditionally seen on occasions when both husband and wife are performing or are present at official ceremonies or events. In such circumstances, one may expect to see the Conjugal Arms displayed on ceremonial plaques, memorials etc.

As would be expected, the Conjugal Arms have been designed by the College of Arms. Over time, as the Duke of Cambridge's status evolves, so too will his own coat of arms and, by automatic extension, the Conjugal Arms.

The Conjugal Arms of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge displays the shield of The Duke of Cambridge on the left (heraldically dexter) and that of The Duchess on the right (heraldically sinister). The shields are flanked by the Duke of Cambridge's Royal Supporters, the Lion supporting The Duke's shield and the Unicorn supporting The Duchess's.

Armorial Bearings of HRH The Duke of Cambridge KG KT
(in this image the shield is not encircled by the Order of the Garter)

The Coat of Arms of The Duke of Cambridge is based on the Royal Arms but is distinguished by the use of a 3-pointed white label of difference bearing a red escallop on the central point. The red escallop is taken from the arms of The Duke's late mother. Again, to difference his arms from those of The Sovereign, the same label is used as a collar around the necks of The Duke's Lion and Unicorn supporters and his Lion crest.

The Duke's shield (as depicted in the Conjugal Arms) is encircled by the Order of the Garter, the United Kingdom's oldest Order of Chivalry. In 2008 HRH became the Order's one-thousandth knight.

Armorial Bearings of HRH The Duchess of Cambridge
(C) The College of Arms

Armorial Bearings of HRH The Duchess of Cambridge originally borne
by HRH following the 2011 grant of arms to her father, Mr. Michael Middleton
(C) The College of Arms

The Coat of Arms of The Duchess of Cambridge was granted following her marriage to Prince William. The shield combines the shield of her original arms (the Middleton arms were granted to her father, Michael Middleton in 2011) with those of her husband. By Royal Warrant, The Duchess was also accorded the Coronet of the Duke of Cambridge (the style of coronet being appropriate for the son of the Heir Apparent) and supporters. As is traditional for the wife of a member of the Royal Family, one of The Duchess's supporters is taken from her husband (the Lion with a collar composed of a white label of three points bearing a red escallop on the middle point). The second supporter is a white hind with the ducal coronet around its neck.

The Duchess's shield (as depicted in the Conjugal Arms) is encircled by a wreath of oak -- this is simply to provide artistic balance to the Order of the Garter that encircles the Duke's shield. The wreath will eventually be replaced upon the Duchess's appointment to an order (the first order is likely to be the Royal Victorian Order).