June 29, 2011
OTTAWA – On the eve of the arrival in Canada of Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, is pleased with the unveiling of two new Royal flags created by the Canadian Heraldic Authority and approved by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
“These new flags created for The Prince of Wales and The Duke of Cambridge are magnificent expressions of our constitutional monarchy and heritage,” said His Excellency. “As we prepare to welcome Their Royal Highnesses to experience this marvelous country, I am sure that many Canadians will take great interest in these new emblems. As head of the Canadian Heraldic Authority, I am delighted with the work of our Canadian heralds in preparing these designs.”
The two flags are based on Her Majesty The Queen’s personal flag for use in Canada, which uses the Royal Arms of Canada as its basis. Since the flag was adopted in 1962, Her Majesty The Queen has been the only member of the Royal Family to have a flag for use in Canada.
The flag of The Duke of Cambridge will be broken during the official welcoming ceremony of Their Royal Highnesses to Canada, at Rideau Hall, on Thursday, June 30, at 3:15 p.m. The general public is invited to the grounds as of 1 p.m. on that day, to participate in the launch of the 2011 Royal Tour.
About the Canadian Heraldic Authority
The Canadian Heraldic Authority, which is headed by the Governor General, is responsible for the creation of coats of arms, flags and badges for Canadian citizens, corporate bodies and units of the Canadian Forces. It was created in 1988 to develop new heraldic emblems, maintain records of Canada’s heraldic heritage, and encourage a high standard of heraldic art and the appropriate use of heraldry.
For more information about the Canadian Heraldic Authority, please visit the Heraldry Today section on www.gg.ca.
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A fact sheet on the Royal flags for use in Canada is attached. High-resolution images of each flag can be found on our website via the links below:
Flag of Her Majesty The Queen: www.gg.ca/images/royal/queen.jpg
Flag of The Prince of Wales: www.gg.ca/images/royal/wales.jpg
Flag of The Duke of Cambridge: www.gg.ca/images/royal/cambridge.jpg
Media information:
Marie-Pierre Bélanger
Rideau Hall Press Office
613-998-9166
marie-pierre.belanger@gg.ca
www.gg.ca
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Fact Sheet on the Personal Flags of The Prince of Wales and The Duke of Cambridge
Two personal flags, for His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge, have been created under the powers of the Canadian Crown. The designs of the new flags were developed by the Canadian Heraldic Authority, working with the households of Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales and The Duke of Cambridge.
Personal heraldic flags are used all around the world to identify the presence of individuals at a particular location or while travelling. Since 1962, Her Majesty The Queen has been the only member of the Royal Family to have a flag for use in Canada.
Description of the flags
The two new flags are based on Her Majesty The Queen’s personal flag for use in Canada, and use the Royal Arms of Canada, in banner form, as their basis.
The flag of Her Majesty The Queen
The flag bears a blue roundel within a wreath of roses in gold. The centre features her Cypher, composed of the letter ‘E’ with the Royal Crown above it, also in gold.
The flag of The Prince of Wales
The flag bears a blue roundel within a wreath of golden maple leaves for Canada. The centre features the badge commonly known as The Prince of Wales’s feathers, used by the heir apparent to the Sovereign. Near the top of the flag is the traditional heraldic mark of an eldest male child, the three-point white label.
The flag of The Duke of Cambridge
The flag bears a blue roundel within a wreath of golden maple leaves for Canada, and of shells, a symbol borrowed from his coat of arms. The centre features his Cypher, composed of the letter ‘W’ with a coronet above it that indicates he is the child of the heir apparent to the Sovereign. Near the top of the flag is the personal three-point white label charged with a red shell, taken from his coat of arms.
