Prince William and Kate Middleton Just Unveiled a New Coat of Arms—and I Was Shocked by Will's 2-Word Motto

In case you missed it, Kate Middleton and Prince William made their first red carpet appearance together in two years at the annual Royal Variety Performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall on November 19. While many were busy admiring Catherine’s jaw-dropping $2 million accessories or replaying that slow-motion regal moment of the Prince and Princess of Wales, one detail almost slipped under the radar: the couple debuted a new coat of arms.

According to People, the event brochure revealed the couple’s shields from their Conjugal Coat of Arms within the Prince of Wales Coat of Arms. The emblem appeared in a dedication from the Royal Variety Charity to Prince William and Princess Catherine, both 43, welcoming them and thanking them for attending. The real surprise? The new emblem includes a two-word motto from Prince William himself.

The regal design features William’s badge on the left and Kate’s on the right, flanked by the traditional Supporters of the Royal Lion and Unicorn, with new elements highlighting William’s position as the Prince of Wales.

The Conjugal Coat of Arms shown in the brochure also features the Prince of Wales’ feathers, a symbol tied to the title since the 14th century, a coronet of the Prince and Peers and the Prince of Wales’ official motto, Ich Dien, which translates from German to “I serve.” Atop the ornamental emblem sits a coronet-wearing lion, feathers encircling it, giving it that extra royal flair.

I’ll admit, “I serve” wasn’t in my top three guesses for William’s motto but I’m not really surprised. He’s a royal, after all, dedicating his time and energy to countless charities and causes, so it actually makes perfect sense.

William and Kate first received their Conjugal Coat of Arms in 2013, symbolizing their status as a married couple in heraldic terms and the latest version reflects their current royal roles.

Beyond the emblem, the Prince and Princess of Wales recapped the evening on social media with a video montage.

“A magical night at the Royal Variety Performance,” the caption read. “Grateful to all the incredible talent on stage and the dedicated teams behind the scenes for creating such a brilliant evening. A powerful reminder of why supporting the arts matters is so important!”

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