Catherine Middleton, before she married Prince William, was what is termed a Commoner. That isn't a pejorative remark, it simply designates someone who isn't royal, noble or of the priesthood. In fact, all the subjects of today's Blog were commoners before they married into the Royal Family.
As such, the Middleton Family did not have a Coat of Arms, and so Catherine's father, Mr Michael Middleton, was quickly granted them. The explanation of the representation runs as thus:
The three acorns represent Mr. and Mrs. Middleton’s three children (The Duchess of Cambridge, Philippa Middleton and James Middleton). Acorns were chosen because the area in which the children were brought up – West Berkshire, England – is surrounded by oak trees. Additionally, oak is a long-established symbol of both ‘England’ and ‘Strength.’
The gold chevron, which sits at the centre of the design, represents Mrs. Middleton, whose maiden name is Goldsmith. The two thinner chevrons, which sit either side of the gold chevron, allude to hills and mountains and represent outdoor pursuits that the family enjoy together. The colours blue and red were chosen as they are the principal colours from the flag of the United Kingdom.
In addition, the two main colours of the field are split down the "middle"...
The Duchess' supporter is a white hind (female deer) and is said to sit well next to a shield with acorns on. The hind has a coronet round her neck which relates to her husband's rank as the son of the Heir to the Throne. In due course, this coronet will change accordingly. I will possibly look at coronets and rank soon.
HRH's Coat of Arms bring a lot of blue to the Royal Family. The Shield is from her late Father's family Coat of Arms (Major Bruce Shand) , mainly featuring a Boar's Head and Stars. There is Cross Crosslet Fitchy in the Chief (a cross with little crosses at the ends and a long pointed arm at the bottom at the top of the Shield). These are traditional symbols for the Shand family and strike me as being very Scottish in appearance.
The Blue Boar Supporter maybe traditional for a Shand, but I am unable to find any reference. This may be an invention for Camilla (as with The Duchess of Cambridge) in need of a supporter to balance the Coat of Arms, being simply taken to reflect the Shield. However, please notice that whilst the Boar may have a Coronet round its neck like Catherine's, the Coronet has a Chain fixed to it as does the Scottish Unicorn in Her Majesty's Achievement. This had become a trend, as you will see from The Countess of Wessex. But I was assured by the College of Arms that this was coincidental. I'm inclined not to agree. Read into that what you will...
If The Duchess of Cornwall's family Coat of Arms are Scottish in flavour, then The Countess of Wessex's is very Welsh. Sophie Rhys-Jones's father was granted the arms of a backwards-looking lion within a gold border (Orle) on a red and blue background (again) in reference to his Welsh ancestry as the family arms had not been registered. The lion is said to refer to Sophie's ancestor, the Welsh warrior Elystan Glodrudd, Prince of Ferrig. The supporter is 'almost' a Welsh Dragon. The Wyvern, though, again brings a lot of blue to UK Royal Heraldry. And the motto is, of course, in Welsh and translates as "Hateful the man who loves not the country that nurtured him".
Again, as with The Duchess of Cornwall, her family supporter has a coronet appropriate to her rank (as the wife of a prince) around its neck and also a Chain "reflexed" around its body. I did contact the College of Arms when The Duchess of Cambridge's supporter was shown without this Chain, only to be "assured" that the presence or absence of this Chain was of no significance, as I mentioned above. Not even in matching (or not) the Chain on the Scottish Unicorn supporter. (It apparently does not mean that the new wife is "chained" to the Royal Family...)
I have posted the above photograph rather than the usual graphic. It is of The Countess of Wessex's stallpalte as Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. This is awarded, in short, to spouses of major royals after about 10 years' service. The Duchess of Cornwall has received it and has also place the Riband of the Order round her Shield, as has the Countess here. The main reason for including this specific photograph, though, is that it is the only representation of The Countess of Wessex's Coat of Arms where the white Label from her husband's side runs exactly into the top line of the yellow/gold Orle on her own side of the Shield. Pretty neat, eh?
The only present spouse I have not been able to cover is Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence who is the second husband of HRH The Princess Royal. I am given to understand that he is armigerous (that is, that he is entitled to bear Arms) but he has not registered his Coat of Arms. We shall see...
I will also deal with ex-spouses of members of the UK Royal Family separately and at a later date. But for now, there you have it.