Meghan Markle has been the Duchess of Sussex for less than a week, and she's already had her plate full of royal activities, including attending her first official garden party and taking how-to-be-a-duchess-101 lessons. As a reward (well, actually just because she's now officially part of the royal family), she gets her very own coat of arms.
Today, Kensington Palace tweeted, "A Coat of Arms has been created for The Duchess of Sussex," and it's been approved by the Queen, herself.
Meghan was reportedly very involved in creating her coat of arms. "The Duchess of Sussex took a great interest in the design," said the Garter King of Arms, Thomas Woodcock. "Good heraldic design is nearly always simple and the Arms of The Duchess of Sussex stand well beside the historic beauty of the quartered British Royal Arms."
And obviously, we decoded the secret messages hidden in various aspects of it for you (there are a few).
The background of the shield
According to the royal family's website, the blue in the background of the shield represents the Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of California where Meghan was born and raised. The two golden rays that streak across the right side of the shield also pay homage to the new Duchess' former home—they are meant to look like sun rays, since it's the golden state. The three quills in between the sun rays are symbolic of "communication and the power of words," a nod to Meghan and Harry's long-distance relationship, and quite possibly to her former blog, The Tig.
The poppies
In the grass, beneath the shield, sits a collection of golden poppies, the state flower of California, and wintersweet, which grows at Kensington Palace. Aww, how sweet that the flowers connect Harry and Meghan.
The songbird
When it comes to creating a coats of arms, "it's customary for Supporters of the shield to be assigned to Members of the Royal Family, and for wives of Members of the Royal Family to have one of their husband’s Supporters and one relating to themselves."
In all royal coats of arms, a crowned lion stands on the left-hand side of the shield to represent England, and the animal on the right is its supporter. Meghan's Supporter is the songbird "with wings elevated as if flying and an open beak, which with the quill, represents the power of communication."
The coronet
This is the name for the crown that sits above the shield. "A Coronet has also been assigned to The Duchess of Sussex," according to the royal family's website. "It is the Coronet laid down by a Royal Warrant of 1917 for the sons and daughters of the Heir Apparent. It is composed of two crosses patée, four fleurs-de-lys and two strawberry leaves."
So, there you have it! Every secret meaning carefully crafted into Meghan's historic coat of arms.
