On 17 July 2005, Clarence House announced the new Coat of Arms for The Duchess of Cornwall to to mark Her Royal Highness’s 58th birthday.

The crest incorporates both the Coat of Arms of her husband, HRH The Prince of Wales, and her father, Major Bruce Shand.

On the left-hand side of the central shield is the Royal Lion Supporter of The Prince of Wales while on the right-hand side is a boar taken from Major Shand’s Crest.

As with all Coats of Arms for the Royal Family, Her Majesty The Queen has authorised the unique crest.

Mr Peter Gwynn-Jones is the Garter Principal King of Arms, the senior Herald and responsible for all matters of Royal Heraldry
He said: “It has been a great pleasure to work on preparing The Duchess’s Coat of Arms and to ensure that the identity of her own family is clearly displayed in this new form.”

The Duchess, The Prince and The Queen all took a keen interest in the development of the Coat of Arms.

The Shield in the Coat of Arms is divided in two down the centre. To the left (called the dexter in heraldry because of the way the shield was carried) are the Arms of The Prince of Wales, which show the Royal Arms, with the two symbolic additions that make His Royal Highness’s Coat of Arms different from The Queen’s.

First, there is a white label with three points and second, there is an small shield, or inescutcheon, with the Arms of the Principality of Wales that is surmounted by an Heir Apparent’s single arched Coronet.

This is the same single arched Coronet that is used to surmount The Duchess’s shield and is used because, as wife to the Heir Apparent, she is entitled to it according to the Royal Warrant of King Charles II, dated 9 February 1661.

Click here to visit The Duchess of Cornwall's official website.