Meghan Markle’s Coat of Arms Reflects Her Californian Heritage

The Duchess of Sussex, formerly known as Meghan Markle, has been given a coat of arms that reflects her Californian heritage.

Kensington Palace revealed the design on social media after Her Royal Highness worked closely with the College of Arms throughout the design process.

The detailed imagery, which was approved by the Queen, contrasts sharply with the one approved for Kate, Duchess of Cambridge.

Unlike Meghan, Kate does not have her own coat of arms but shares one with her family.

Individual symbols represent the different Middleton members.

The blue and red heraldic design features three acorns at the request of Kate to represent each of the Middleton children.

They also signify Englishness and are a reference to the family home in West Berkshire.

Carol Middleton is represented in the gold chevron sitting in the centre of the coat of arms.

Meghan, who was born in Los Angeles, has chosen to weave in various Californian emblems into her coat of arms.

The blue background on the shield represents the Pacific Ocean off the West Coast, while golden poppies, the state's flower, are also featured.

The poppies on the grass represent California's state flower, and the winter sweet in the grass represents the union of Harry and Meghan.

On Meghan's side of the shield, there is a songbird with wings as if flying and open be power of calm.

The coronet around the songbird's neck is the same coronet laid down by a royal warrant of 1917 for the sons and daughters of the heir apparent.

It is composed of two crosses pachy, four fleurs de lys and two strawberry leaves.

Prince Harry was gifted his very own coat of arms on his 18th birthday in 2002.

This features the support arms of the Sovereign in right of the United Kingdom, and the left side of his coat of arms has been used for his and Meghan's joint arms released today.

Harry's original arms featured a label of five points which showed three escalopes, seashells, which were a nod to his mother Diana, Princess of Wales Spencer family coat of arms, which includes three escalopes argent.

On his new joint coat of arms, the label has been moved to his half of the shield and the three escalopes remain.

Thomas Woodcock, from the College of Arms, speaking at the time said Kate could have been given her own coat of arms but her father wanted a family one, as reported by the BBC.

The crest, commissioned by Michael Middleton, cost £4,400.

The symbolism behind Meghan's coat of arms is significant.

The shield's blue background represents the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, where Meghan grew up.

The gold rays across the shield are representative of the sunshine in Meghan's home state of California.

The three quills on the shield are a symbol of Meghan's communication skills and the power of words, while the golden poppies represent California's state flower.

The winter sweet in the grass, which is mixed in with the golden poppies, represents the union of Harry and Meghan.

Winter sweet grows in the gardens of Kensington Palace, where Harry grew up and now lives with Meghan.

The supporter on Meghan's side of the shield on the right-hand side of the shield sits a songbird with wings as if flying and open be power of calm.

In conclusion, Meghan Markle's coat of arms reflects her Californian heritage, and the symbolism behind it is significant.