Prince of Wales's feathers 1643623 224776697 2008-07-10T10:58:34Z Andrew Yong 20340 [[Image:Badge of the Prince of Wales.svg|thumb|100x|The badge of the Prince of Wales]] The '''Prince of Wales's feathers''' is the [[heraldic badge]] of the [[Prince of Wales]]. It consists of three [[white]] [[feather]]s emerging from a [[gold (color)|gold]] [[coronet]]. A ribbon below the coronet bears the motto ''Ich dien'' ([[German language|German]] for "I serve", a contraction of ''ich diene''). As well as being used in royal [[heraldry]], the badge is sometimes used to symbolise [[Wales]], particularly [[Rugby union in Wales|Welsh rugby union]] and [[Rugby league in Wales|Welsh rugby league]]; however, its use as such is controversial and rejected by many Welsh people as a symbol of the British monarchy rather than Wales. [[Image:Oriel College Feathers.jpg|left|thumb|A painted carving on the main gate of [[Oriel College, Oxford]] depicting the [[Heraldic badge|emblem]] of the Prince of Wales]] The badge has no connection with the native Princes of Wales. It is thought to have originated with [[Edward, the Black Prince]], the eldest son of [[Edward III of England]]. According to legend, the Black Prince obtained the arms from the blind [[John I of Bohemia]], against whom he fought in the [[Battle of Crécy]] in 1346. After the battle, the prince went to the body of the dead king (whom he admired for his bravery) and took his [[helmet]], lined with [[ostrich]] feathers. The feathers and the dead king's motto made up the prince's new badge and came to be used by subsequent Princes of Wales. The origin of both the feathers and the motto may have a less romantic history, with indications that the arms were inherited by the prince from his father. The badge has traditionally been worn on the jerseys of players in the [[Wales national rugby union team|Welsh rugby union team]] and as the [[logo]] of the [[Welsh Rugby Union]]. In the 1990s, the WRU modified the form of the badge they used in order to [[copyright]] the design. The new logo is more stylised, with "WRU" in place of "Ich Dien". The Welsh Rugby League has stuck to the traditional three feathers with "Cymru RL" written underneath. [[Surrey County Cricket Club]] have permission to use the feathers for their emblems; their home ground, [[The Oval]], is on land owned by the [[Prince of Wales]]. This ensign is also used by a society in Malta called 'The Prince of Wales Philarmonic Society'. The scope of this organisation is mainly one related to music but is also linked to the feast of St.Dominic in Vittoriosa in Malta. Malta was a colony of the British Crown for 200 years, and there exist a variety of clubs and organisations bearing the name of royal personalities. The badge was until [[1985]] on the [[coat of arms of Penang]], a state in present-day [[Malaysia]], which was originally founded in [[1786]] as the settlement of Prince of Wales Island. [[Image:British coin 2p (2000)Obverse.jpg|right|thumb|The feathers on a [[British two pence coin]]]] The Prince of Wales' Own displays the ensign with three feathers on a royal blue background and carries the standard during all of its activities as well as a flag on top of its premises. It has been doing so for the last 100 years. The badge is also the [[cap badge]] of the [[The Royal Welsh]], an amalgamation of three Welsh regiments, The Royal Welch Fusiliers, The Royal Regiment Of Wales and the Territorial Army's Royal Welsh Regiment. Previously the badge was the cap badge of the [[Prince of Wales's Own Civil Service Rifles]], whose motto was also Ich Dien. The badge is also displayed on the regimental badges of many other regiments of the British Army which have a historical connection with the Prince of Wales: *[[Royal Scots Dragoon Guards|The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys)]] (as arm badge) *[[9th/12th Royal Lancers|9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's)]] *The [[Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment]] (Queen's and Royal Hampshires) (part of cap badge) *[[Staffordshire Regiment|The Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's)]] (part of cap badge) *[[Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry|The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (Prince of Wales's Own)]] (part of cap badge) *The Cheshire Yeomanry (Earl of Chester's) *[[4th/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse|4th/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse Regiment]] *[[The Royal Regiment of Canada]] (part of cap badge) *[[Ceylon Light Infantry]] ==See also== * [[Flag of Wales]] * [[Dieu et mon droit]] * [[Royal Welsh]] * [[Fleur-de-lis|Fleur-de-Lys]] * [[Rashtriya Indian Military College]] * http://www.thereddragonhood.com/pages/feathers.html * [http://www.theroyalist.net/content/view/1818/1/ Prince Charles Tries To Ban Use of Feathers] [[3rd March]] [[2007]] * [http://content-www.cricinfo.com/surrey/content/current/story/261883.html Permission given in 1915 for Surrey CCC to use feathers] [[Category:British monarchy]] [[Category:Rugby league in Wales]] [[Category:Rugby union in Wales]] [[Category:National symbols of Wales]]