Two golden rays adorn Meghan’s new coat of arms

THE DUCHESS of Sussex has chosen two golden rays across a blue background on her coat of arms to represent the Californian sunshine and Pacific Ocean off the coast of her home state.

Meghan worked closely with the College of Arms in London to create the design, Kensington Palace said, with three quills representing communication and the power of words. The flowers in the grass beneath the shield pay homage to her old and new homes, with golden poppies, California’s state flower, and wintersweet, which grows at Kensington Palace.

It is customary for wives of members of the Royal Family to have one of their husband’s supporters of the shield and one relating to themselves. The gold lion, Royally crowned, dates from the House of Stuart’s ascent to the throne in 1603, while the supporter relating to the Duchess is a songbird with wings elevated as if flying and an open beak, which with the quill represents the power of communication.

A coronet, laid down by the Royal Warrant of 1917 for the children of the heir to the throne, has also been assigned to Meghan, bearing two crosses pattee, four fleurs-de-lys and two strawberry leaves.

The arms of a married woman are shown placed side by side with her husband’s in the same shield. The design was approved by the Queen and Thomas Woodcock, the Garter King of Arms and Senior Herald in England.