There’s a great alternative to the oh-so-cliché “Keep Calm and Carry On” posters everyone has these days: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s new family crest!
On Friday, Sept. 27, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Conjugal Coat of Arms was unveiled to the public. The Cambridges’ official emblem features William’s Royal Shield, given to him by Queen Elizabeth II on his 18th birthday, and the Middleton family shield, which was granted to Kate’s family before the royal wedding in 2011.
Will and Kate’s individual family shields are supported by a royal lion and a unicorn. Per the palace’s press release, the unicorn is wearing a collar featuring a red shell derived from the Spencer Coat of Arms. This is an homage to the late Princess Diana’s family and has been used on her side of the family for centuries. A Kensington Palace spokesman explained that the Conjugal Arms will belong to Will and Kate “forever,” but as “their circumstances and roles” change, “elements of the accoutrements and the shields may change.” In addition to this Conjugal Coat of Arms, William and Kate will retain their own Coats of Arms “to represent themselves as individuals,” the palace stated. Kate’s individual seal features William’s arms alongside her father Michael Middleton’s arms.
