What is the College of Arms?
Q: What is the College of Arms?
A: The College of Arms is a government heraldic authority in London, founded in 1484 by King Richard III. Its job is to control and grant new armorial bearings (also known as coats of arms).
Q: Who runs the College of Arms?
A: The College of Arms is run by the Kings of Arms, Heralds and Pursuivants who handle heraldic affairs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on behalf of the Queen.
Q: Does Scotland have its own heraldic authority?
A: Yes, Scotland has its own heraldic authority called Lord Lyon King of Arms and his office.
Q: What other countries does the College grant arms to?
A: The College grants arms to citizens from other Commonwealth countries that do not have their own heralds. Canadians use Canadian Heraldic Authority and South Africans have the Bureau of Heraldry.
Q: How can people prove they are descended from an armigerous person?
A: People trying to prove they are descended from an armigerous person may be reissued that ancestor's arms with special marks called difference marks added to make it different from their cousins' coats of arms.
Q: What records does the college keep?
A: The college keeps many pedigrees (family trees) in their records which anyone may register with them after careful checking and official proofs before being altered.
Q: What public appearances do officers at the college take part in?
A: Officers at the college sometimes read Royal proclamations in public, for example at accession ceremonies or coronations, as well as helping plan state ceremonies such as introducing new peers into House Lords or orders of chivalry. For these occasions they wear either simple red livery or a tabard emblazoned with their master's arms (in this case royal arms).
