Ahead of her wedding to Prince William, Kate Middleton and her family have been granted a coat of arms.

The Middletons worked closely the College of Arms to create a design which was personal to them.

Kate and her two siblings, Pippa and James, are represented by the three acorns.

They were chosen to symbolise Berskhire, the area in which they were raised and which is known for its oak trees. 

A gold chevron in the centre is to signify her mother Carole, whose maiden name is Goldsmith.

Meanwhile, the two white stripes - known as chevronels - symbolise peaks and mountains, and the Middleton family's love of the Lake District and of skiing.

It's practical for Kate to have a coat of arms as a future Queen, and the design will feature on the official souvenir programme for the wedding.

She could have been granted her own heraldic design, but according to the BBC, her father Michael wanted the whole family to be able to use it.

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