| Royal Badge of Wales | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Armiger | Charles III |
| Adopted | 2008 |
| Motto | Pleidiol Wyf i'm Gwlad, Welsh for "I am true to my country" |
| Badge | Within a circular riband vert fimbriated Or bearing the motto Pleidiol Wyf i'm Gwlad in letters the same and ensigned with a representation of the Crown proper, an escutcheon quarterly Or and gules four lions passant guardant counterchanged armed and langued azure, encircled by a wreath alternating of leek, thistle, clover, leek and rose. |
The Royal Badge of Wales was approved in May 2008. It is based on the arms borne by the 13th-century Welsh prince Llywelyn ab Iorwerth (blazoned quarterly Or and gules, four lions passant guardant counterchanged), with the addition of St Edward's Crown atop a continuous scroll which, together with a wreath consisting of the plant emblems of the four countries of the United Kingdom, surrounds the shield.[1] The motto which appears on the scroll, PLEIDIOL WYF I'M GWLAD ('I am true to my country'), is taken from the national anthem of Wales; it was also an element of the Welsh designs for £1 coins minted from 1985 until 2000. The badge formerly appeared on the covers of Assembly Measures;[2] since the 2011 referendum, it now appears on the cover of Acts[3] passed by the Senedd (as the Assembly became in 2020) and its escutcheon, ribbon and motto are depicted on the Welsh Seal.
The current badge follows in a long line of heraldic devices representing Wales. Its predecessors have all been variations on either the Red Dragon, an ancient emblem revived by Henry VII, or the arms of Llywelyn. Whereas the three historical kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland are represented in the royal arms of the United Kingdom, Wales has no such representation as it was annexed and incorporated into the Kingdom of England. The badge has been referenced as a coat of arms for Wales with its use by the Welsh Parliament in acts and laws.[4]
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the design of King Charles III's royal cypher was announced on 27 September 2022, which featured the Tudor crown rather than St Edward's Crown. The College of Arms had envisioned that the Tudor crown would be used in future in representations of the royal arms and on crown badges,[5] an update that was announced on 10 October 2024.[6]
- ^ "First Welsh law's royal approval". BBC. 9 July 2008. Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
- ^ "Example of badge use on Welsh measure" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 April 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
- ^ "Example of badge used on the first Welsh act" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
- ^ "First Welsh law's royal approval". BBC. 9 July 2008. Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
- ^ "Royal Cypher". College of Arms. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ "New Coat of Arms artwork unveiled" (Press release). Gov.uk. 10 October 2024. Retrieved 14 October 2024.