The Duke of Edinburgh’s coat of arms featured a bare-chested man holding a club and clad in a loincloth made from a lion’s skin.
The figure is described by the College of Arms as a “savage” who is “crowned with a chaplet of oak leaves”.
It has also been suggested that the figure depicts the Greek god Hercules.
As Honorary Colonel of @5MIBn, based in EdinburghCastle, we thank our @Int_Corps Colonel-in-Chief, The Duke of this city, #Edinburgh #TheDukeofEdinburgh held our Colonelcy until his death. pic.twitter.com/Y9TWZRRXuX
— Alastair Bruce (@AlastairBruce_) April 10, 2021
On the other side is a Battenberg/Mountbatten lion “queue force” – with a split tail – and “gorged” – meaning around its neck – with a blue Naval Crown to represent Philip’s naval career.
The coat of arms, granted by George VI in 1948, bore the motto “God is my help” as well as the motto of the Order of the Garter, “Honi soit qui mal y pense”, which translates as “Evil to him who evil thinks”.
His standard pays tribute to his birth heritage as a Prince of Greece and Denmark, his family name and the title he was given just before his marriage to Princess Elizabeth in 1947.
The first three quarters show his lineage – with lions and hearts on a yellow background representing Denmark, a white cross on blue representing Greece, and his anglicised family name Mountbatten represented with two black “pales” or stripes on white.
Sewn appliqué Royal standard of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. For @sandringham1870 #royal #royalflags #dukeofedinburgh #flag #flagmaker #madeinbritain #handmade #applique #sewing pic.twitter.com/fwiltDQ8aZ
— Flying Colours Flags (@FlagsUK) November 4, 2019
The fourth quarter contains the arms of the City of Edinburgh.
Philip was made the Duke of Edinburgh shortly before his wedding, by his future father-in-law George VI.
