Russell Grant's Coat of Arms – by Russell Grant

The Coat of Arms & The Royal College of Heralds

Russell's coat of arms is totally unique to him and granted to him by the Royal College of Arms for being ‘eminent in his field.' He is the first ‘British Astrologer Royal' to be granted his own coat of arms. It is not a Scottish heraldic device for everyone called Grant or Clan Grant: there is no such thing as a 'coat of arms' for a surname. For any person to have a right to a coat of arms they must either have had it personally granted or descended in the legitimate male line from a person to whom arms were granted or confirmed in the past.

Since 1978 Russell Grant has been entitled as the Astrologer Royal as a result of being the first astrologer for over 400 years to be publicly honoured. He was presented to Her Majesty the Queen Mother in 1978 (see picture) and only recently revealed he advised Diana, Princess of Wales, being presented to her backstage at the Royal Variety Show at the Victoria Palace in 1984. Since that meeting, over twenty years ago, Russell has remained characteristically discrete and tight-lipped, it was only when Diana's butler, Paul Burrell, when questioned as to whether Diana consulted astrologers he said “She saw many but the only one she ever trusted was Russell Grant”.

T he Kings of Arms grant an eminent person's coat of arms by letters patent. Badges, banners, flags, seals were originally intended as means by which a man might be identified in time of battle or on papers which the illiterate, many of whom included the nobility, could recognize. Henry V established something approximating to a formalization of these devices. Richard III in 1484 established the College of Arms which contains a number of Household officers: the three Kings of Arms, Garter, Clarenceux, and Norroy and Ulster ; a number of Officers in Ordinary (Heralds); and Pursuivants and Officers Extraordinary. They have granted arms to men and women of virtue and eminence for more than 500 years.

The Kings of Arms are authorized in their patents of appointment to grant (with the consent of the Earl Marshal) to "eminent men", a phrase which first appeared in the patent of appointment of Stephen Leake as Clarenceux King of Arms in 1741. Originally, the test applied was one of wealth or social status; because any man entitled to bear a coat of arms was expected to be a gentleman.

In 1673, the authority of The Earl Marshal of England is a hereditary Royal officeholder under the King or Queen of the United Kingdom established in its modern form by a royal declaration which stated, amongst other things, that no patents of arms should be granted without his consent. This established the system, which is still operated, whereby royal authority to approve candidates for grants of arms is exercised by the Earl Marshal, and royal authority to grant the arms themselves is exercised by the Kings of Arms from the College of Arms . The application to the Earl Marshal (the Duke of Norfolk) is in the form of a petition, called a "Memorial", in the name of the prospective grantee. The wording of the Memorial is important because it is closely followed (for example, as to the description of the grantee of arms by profession, place of residence, etc) in any subsequent Letters Patent containing the grant of arms.

If the Earl Marshal finds the application in the "Memorial" satisfactory, he will grant a Warrant authorizing the Kings of Arms to proceed with the designing of arms. A herald then works with the applicant to devise arms pleasing to him as well as heraldically correct. Once a final form is reached, the Kings of Arms grant letters patent (colourfully illuminated and decorated) authorizing the use the arms blazoned therein to the grantee and his heirs.

Russell worked along side one of the heralds, the Rouge Dragon Pursuivant, to ensure the coat of arms did not clash with one already held by a grantee.

The advice from the herald was to uniquely depict Russell Grant's heritage and success. His eminence comes from astrology, hence, four stars in gold and silver. He hails from Middlesex and has worked tirelessly in this county on many community and charitable causes, this is illustrated by the Saxon crown, to show his appellation as the Astrologer Royal and two seaxes, all found on the coat of arms of the County of Middlesex . The Griffin is taken from the Enfield coat of arms; this represents family connexions from the area of north Middlesex. His motto is To The Stars is pretty explanatory; Russell chose to have this in English rather than Latin.

It is important to remember that the honour of his personal coat of arms was granted to Russell Grant as a man of distinction and eminent in his field. It is not granted in conjunct with his ancient title, The Lord of Ashford in Staines in Middlesex, although this is represented on the personal Russell Grant coat of arms, as someone who is known locally as Mr. Middlesex.

The completed vellum grant is now safe in a handsome red leather box, which is embossed in gold with three E II R insignia of the current sovereign; Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Inside the vellum is sealed with three wax seals, protected in metal surrounds, of the Principal King of Arms and two King of Arms. This is also unusual as Russell was living in Lancashire at the same time as he was living in the Ashford area of Middlesex so all three Kings of Arms; Garter, Clarenceux, and Norroy and Ulster north and south of the Trent signed the letters patent rather than the usual two.