Idea Log 30042011

Arms of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (Catherine "Kate" Elizabeth, née Middleton; born 9 January 1982) is the wife of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge. The Duke is the eldest son of Charles, Prince of Wales, and is the second in line to the thrones of the sixteen Commonwealth realms.

Notes

The Duchess bears the arms of her husband, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, impaled with her own arms. Catherine's coat of arms is based on those of her father Michael Middleton, which was granted to him by the College of Arms on the 19 April 2011. Thomas Woodcock, Garter King of Arms, the senior officer of the College of Arms, helped the family with the design.

Escutcheon

Quarterly 1^st and 4^th Gules three lions passant guardant in pale Or armed and langed Azure (England), 2^nd Or a lion rampant Gules armed and langued Azure within a double tressure flory counterflory of the second (Scotland), 3^rd Azure a harp Or stringed Argent (Ireland), the whole differenced with a label of three points Argent with the central point charged with an escallop Gules (Prince William); Impaled with a shield per pale Azure and Gules, a chevron Or, cotised Argent, between three acorns slipped and leaved Or (Middleton).

Symbolism

The dividing line (between two colours) down the centre is a canting of the name 'Middle-ton'. The acorns (from the oak tree) are a traditional symbol of England and a feature of west Berkshire, where the family have lived for 30 years. The three acorns also denote the family's three children. The gold chevron in the centre of the arms is an allusion to Carole Middleton's maiden name of Goldsmith. The two white chevronels (narrow chevrons above and below the gold chevron) symbolise peaks and mountains, and the family's love of the Lake District and skiing.