Coat of Arms of William III Prince of Orange

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Department for International Trade, Old Admiralty Building

This 17th century carved, painted and gilt wood shows the coat of arms of King William III (1689-1702). A rampant lion and a unicorn are supporting the central cartouche with the Duke of Nassau’s escutcheon (a shield or emblem bearing a coat of arms) which is surrounded by the mottos in French:  'HONI.SOIT.QUI.MAL.Y.PENSE' (‘Shame on him who thinks evil of it’), and 'DIEU.EST.MON.DROIT' (God and my right).

William III was born in The Hague in the Netherlands in 1650. He was the son of William II and Mary, the eldest daughter of Charles I of England. Together with his wife Mary II, William became monarch of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1689 during a time known as ‘The Glorious Revolution’.  William introduced Protestantism in Britain by winning the Battle of the Boyne against the catholic James II on 1 July 1690. He also commissioned Christopher Wren to rebuild Hampton Court. He died in 1702 without an heir. 

Places

Subjects

Materials & Techniques

paint, wood carving, relief (art object)

Artist

17th - 18th century unknown

Title

Coat of Arms of William III Prince of Orange

Date

c.1694 - 1702

Medium

carved wood, gilt, paint, metal relief

Acquisition

Transferred from HM Revenue and Customs, October 2020

GAC number

18890