| Coat of arms of the Prince of Wales | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Versions | |
 Escutcheon of the Prince of Wales | |
| Armiger | William, Prince of Wales[1] |
| Crest | The royal crest of England[2] differenced with a label of three points argent but with the coronets those of the heir apparent;[3] gold and ermine mantling[4] |
| Shield | The Royal Arms differenced by a label of three points argent overall an inescutcheon quarterly gules and or, four lions passant guardant counterchanged[3] (for the Principality of Wales / Llywelyn the Great ensigned by the coronet of his degree)[3] |
| Supporters | A golden lion, wearing the coronet of the Heir apparent, and a silver unicorn, both differenced with a white label of three points[4] |
| Motto | German: Ich dien ("I Serve") |
| Order(s) | Order of the Garter |
| Badge |
|
The coat of arms of the Prince of Wales is the official personal heraldic insignia of the Princes of Wales, a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent of the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, formerly the Kingdom of Great Britain and before that the Kingdom of England.
The coat of arms devised for Charles III, then Prince of Wales, in 1958, were the same as his granduncle, Edward VIII, had used as prince of Wales since 1911 (see below for references), and contained the badges and elements taken from all four of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom as well as from the many titles the prince holds as heir apparent. These arms lapsed when Charles became king.
Since Edward I awarded it to his son the future Edward II, the heir apparent to the English throne has been created with the title Prince of Wales. William was so created by Charles III on the 2nd day of his reign. The College of Arms has yet to assign William, and Charles III has yet to settle on William by royal warrant, a version of the royal arms that depicts elements of his title as prince of Wales.[5]
The history of the coat of arms is closely linked with those of the Coat of arms of England and the Coat of arms of the United Kingdom. However, as the noted antiquarian and heraldist Charles Boutell wrote in 1863, "The Arms of the Prince of Wales have a distinct individuality of their own, with which nothing ought to be directly associated".[6]
- ^ [Getty Images: Arms and Banner of Prince William, The Prince of Wales https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/prince-william-prince-of-wales-royal-standard-flag-and-coat-news-photo/1483681204]
- ^ Crest of England of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom: Upon the royal helmet the royal crown proper thereon statant guardant or a lion imperially crowned also proper.
- ^ a b c Montague-Smith, P. W. (ed.), Debrett's Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage and Companionage, Kelly's Directories Ltd, Kingston-upon-Thames, 1968, p. 24.
- ^ a b c "Titles and Heraldry: Coat of Arms". Official website of the Prince of Wales. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- ^ Moncreiffe, Iain; Pottinger, Don (1954). Simple Heraldry Cheerfully Illustrated. Thomas Nelson and Sons. pp. 40–41.
- ^ Boutell, p. 256.
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