The Duke and Duchess of Sussex launched their new website, Sussex.com on Monday night, just days ahead of their trip to Canada. The new site, like their previous one, Archewell, features their Sussex Coat of Arms - but what do the details mean?
Traditionally, when a royal gets married, the Monarch will award the newlyweds with a conjugal Coat of Arms, which is usually a combination of their respective family's Coat of Arms.
Prince Harry was given his Coat of Arms when he turned 18, but as Meghan wasn't a royal she didn't have one, so one was created for her and joined with her husband's to create what we recognise today as their Sussex Coat of Arms.
Prince Harry's Coat of Arms
One unusual detail about Prince Harry's Coat of Arms is that it involves his mother Princess Diana's family arms. Using the Spencer sign marked a change in convention for ruling crests, which traditionally did not use symbols from the mother's side of the family.
The Spencers are reflected by small, red escallops which appear on the white collars worn by the lions, unicorn, and shield.
Like his brother's, Prince William's Coat of Arms Harry's is also based upon the quartered arms of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Both feature a lion and a unicorn on either side of the shield, topped by a coronet and a second, smaller lion.
At the time, Peter Gwynn-Jones, Garter of Arms to the Queen, explained: "After changing convention for Prince William by using symbols from his maternal Arms, it made sense to develop this further for Prince Harry.
"This is especially significant because, unlike his elder brother who will one day see his Arms alter to reflect his changing responsibilities, Prince Harry will always keep the escallop shells from his mother's Spencer family Arms and, in time, may pass them on to his children."
Meghan Markle's Coat of Arms
Meghan's Coat of Arms was revealed on 25 May 2018 by Kensington Palace one week after her and Prince Harry's nuptials.
The design was approved by the late Queen Elizabeth II as well as Thomas Woodcock, who was the Garter King of Arms and Senior Herald in England.
Meghan worked closely with the College of Arms to make her and is both personal and representative of the royal family.
According to Kensington Palace's website: "The blue background of the shield represents the Pacific Ocean off the California coast, while the two golden rays across the shield are symbolic of the sunshine of The Duchess's home state. The three quills represent communication and the power of words." The Arms are a break in tradition as they do not represent Meghan's side of the family.
The Arms also include a collection of golden poppies, California's state flower, and wintersweet, a flower that grows at Kensington Palace. According to the site, it is customary when creating Arms for Supporters of the shield to be assigned to the royal family, and for wives of the royal family to have one of their husband’s Supporters and one relating to themselves. As such, the Supporter for the Duchess of Sussex's Arms is a songbird and an open beak as well as a quill, which "represents the power of communication".
