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Meghan’s brand-new coat of arms is a major break with royal tradition – here’s why

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Meghan Markle. (Photo: Getty Images/Gallo Images)
Meghan Markle. (Photo: Getty Images/Gallo Images)

Cape Town - Kensington Palace today unveiled the Duchess of Sussex’s brand-new coat of arms.

The newly-minted royal (36), who wed Prince Harry (33) in a tear-jerking ceremony in Windsor last Saturday, was reportedly very hands-on with the design.

“The Duchess worked closely with the College of Arms to create a Coat of Arms that was both personal and representative”, the palace announced on Instagram.

This may all seem rather traditional, but in gifting Meghan with her very own crest is a major break with royal tradition, People reports.

A coat of arms is usually given to the father of the bride just ahead of a royal wedding – as was the case with Kate’s dad, Micheal Middleton, who was given his coat of arms before his daughter wed Prince William in 2011. 

But what with all the drama surrounding Meghan’s dad, Thomas Markle, in the run-up to the royal wedding, the palace powers that be opted to give the symbol directly to Prince Harry’s wife.

The primarily red, blue and gold crest contains several nods to Meghan’s heritage, they said in a statement on their website.

“The blue background of the shield represents the Pacific Ocean off the California coast, while the two golden rays across the shield are symbolic of the sunshine of The Duchess's home state.

The three quills represent communication and the power of words – no doubt a nod to Meghan’s former lifestyle blog, The Tig, and her activism on gender equality and poverty.

California's state flower, the golden poppy also features, along with the wintersweet, which grows at Meghan’s new home in London, Kensington Palace.

Sources: Kensington Palace, People     

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