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Meghan Markle Will Receive A Unique Wedding Gift From Kensington Palace

Meghan Markle Will Receive A Unique Wedding Gift From Kensington Palace

Kensington Palace will present Meghan Markle with a very special wedding gift to officially welcome her into the Royal Family: a coat of arms.

A spokesperson confirmed to the Daily Mail that Markle and her family will receive their own coat of arms ahead of the wedding, so that it can be featured on the souvenir program at her and Prince Harry's May 19 nuptials.

"Miss Markle's father has the right to a coat of arms because his daughter is marrying into the Royal Family," another source told the site. "Kate Middleton's father was given one, just as Sophie Rhys-Jones's father was when she married Prince Edward [the third son of Queen and Prince Philip]."

Meghan Markle attends the 2018 Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on March 12, 2018.
Max Mumby/Indigo via Getty Images
Meghan Markle attends the 2018 Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on March 12, 2018.

Coat of arms were originally used in early medieval Europe to identify those in battle. Today, they are used to identify the Head of State in the U.K. government and administration.

Each member of the Royal Family has their own coat of arms similar to the Queen's, the Royal Family website states, and each one is required to be unique.

Thomas Woodcock, of the College of Arms (the organization that administers them), told BBC News that each design must have at least two "linear differences" so that they can be differentiated if shown in black and white.

The Duchess of Cambridge's, for instance, contains three acorns to represent the three children in the Middleton family. The acorns, which are a symbol of strength, also pays tribute to Catherine's hometown Bucklebury, where the oak nuts are commonly found, BBC News reported.

Additionally, the Middleton arms is split vertically — blue on the left, red on the right — and contains a gold chevron in the middle in reference to Goldsmith, Catherine's mother's maiden name.

According to BBC News, it was the duchess' idea to include the acorns to represent herself and her siblings on the coat of arms. Considering this, that means Markle could potentially have a say in her family's own design as well.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their trip to Northern Ireland on March 23, 2018.
Samir Hussein/WireImage
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their trip to Northern Ireland on March 23, 2018.

While we'll have to wait and see what Markle's unique coat of arms will look like, there is speculation that there will be some symbolism to pay tribute to her American roots.

Once the coat of arms is made, it will be presented to Markle and her father, Thomas, as coat of arms are traditionally passed down the male line. Presumably, Markle and her family will then be able to carry the arms forever, as The Guardian previously reported this was the case after the Middletons received theirs.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.