Duke of Norfolk

Coat of Arms

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The coat of arms of the Duke of Norfolk consist of five different elements: the arms (or shield), the crest(s), the supporters, the motto, and the batons of the Earl Marshal. Each will be addressed in turn:

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• The Arms: Quarterly 1st Gules on a Bend between six Cross-crosslets fitchy Argent an Escutcheon Or charged with a Demi-lion rampant pierced through the mouth by an arrow within a Double Tressure flory counterflory of the first (Howard); 2nd Gules three Lions passant gardant in pale Or a Label of three points Argent (Thomas of Brotherton); 3rd Checky Or and Azure (Warenne); 4th Gules a Lion rampant Or (Fitzalan).
• The Crests: 1st On a Chapeau Gules turned up Ermine a Lion statant gardant with tail extended Or gorged with a Ducal Coronet Argent (Thomas of Brotherton); 2nd Issuant from a Ducal Coronet Or a pair of Wings Gules each charged with a Bend between six Cross-crosslets fitchy Argent (Howard); 3rd On a Mount Vert a Horse passant Argent holding in the mouth a Slip of Oak fructed proper (Fitzalan).
• The Supporters: Dexter a Lion sinister a Horse both Argent the latter holding in his mouth a Slip of Oak Vert fructed proper.
• The Motto: Sola Virtus Invicta (Virtue alone is unconquerable).
• The Batons: Placed behind the shield two gold Batons in Saltire enamelled at the end Sable (black), which represent the Duke of Norfolk's office as Earl Marshal and Hereditary Marshal of England.

Often, the coat of arms of the Duke of Norfolk appear with the garter of the Order of the Garter surrounding the shield, as seen in the arms of Miles Francis Stapleton Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of Norfolk. However, this is by no means hereditary. His Grace, the 17th Duke of Norfolk did not become a Knight of the Garter until 22 April 1983. The current Duke of Norfolk, His Grace Edward William Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk, has not (yet) been knighted of the Order of the Garter. Thus, the Order of the Garter, or any order of knighthood for that matter, is not necessarily a component of the coat of arms of the Duke of Norfolk.

Related Topics:
Coat of arms - Order of the Garter - Miles Francis Stapleton Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of Norfolk - His Grace Edward William Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk

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