Grants of Arms
Process
Applying for a Grant of Armorial Bearings and Other Heraldic Emblems.
Please note that we expect to be fully operational by late Fall 2024. In the meantime, we welcome your queries but cannot offer services until then.
Petitioning
To begin the process of a grant of armorial bearings and/or other heraldic emblems, a petition for a heraldic grant must be submitted to one of the regular officers of arms for the Royal Heraldic College of Georgia. Once this petition has been received, one of the officers of arms will contact the petitioner to obtain any remaining relevant information and documentation required to determine eligibility and process the petition.
Eligibility
As the granting of armorial bearings and other heraldic emblems is considered an honor bestowed by the Georgian Crown, petitioners will be requested to submit a curriculum vitae to the College for review. This allows for assessment of the petition's merits and determination of eligibility.
Members of one or more of the Royal Georgian Orders, recipients of medals of merit from the Crown, and individuals bearing a title of nobility conferred or formally recognized by the Georgian Crown, who maintain good standing with the Royal House, are considered to meet the College’s eligibility criteria by virtue of their existing recognition from the Crown.
Review and Authorization
After the College has reviewed the petition and all necessary supporting documents, an officer of arms will inform the petitioner as to whether a grant has been authorized and whether the process may proceed. When a grant has been authorized, an invoice will be issued to the petitioner for payment of the fees of the College.
Concept & Design Development
Once the Registration fee has been paid, an officer of arms collaborates with the petitioner to develop the design and create a blazon for the heraldic emblems to be granted. Discussion formats vary depending on the extent of initial emblem concepts, whether petitioners arrive with specific designs or seek the College's design input from the beginning. Subsequently, the College approves a design proposal before presenting it to the petitioner for their approval.
The petitioner must then commission an artist to emblazon their coat of arms and provide the college with high-resolution artwork. We have established partnerships with a select group of recommended heraldic artists who have agreed to offer preferential treatment to our petitioners, including expedited processing times and/or discounts. Please see our roster here.
Finalization and Letters Patent
Once the design has been prepared to the satisfaction of the petitioner and the College, a standard letter-sized Grant of Arms is provided to the armiger. The emblazonment is digitally added to the letter, which bears the Herald of Arm's signature and seal. The Letters Patent will also include the formal heraldic description (blazon) of the armorial bearings, succession rules, any applicable authorizations to make use of the heraldic privileges of members of the Royal Georgian Orders, and any accompanying artwork depicting the heraldic emblems (emblazonment).
To provide petitioners with options to suit their varied preferences, the College offers, in addition to the standard Letters Patent, two additional options with varying formats and price tiers. Further details are provided in the Letters Patent Options box below.
Once the letters patent have been prepared to the satisfaction of the College and the petitioner, approval is sought and the document is signed and sealed by the College, which retains a digital copy for its records. The grant is then entered into the Register of Arms, Badges, Flags, and Other Emblems of the Royal House of Georgia.
Letters Patent Options
Upon the granting or registration of your arms, the next step is to select the format of your Letters Patent. We provide three options, each with distinct pricing tiers.
Option A: Standard Letter
included in the Registration fee, this is the standard Grant of Arms Letters Patent provided to all recipients. It is a letter-sized document featuring the College's official letterhead, signed and sealed by the College. The emblazonment is digitally added and also bears the College's signature and seal.
Please note that the petitioner must either provide a high-resolution image of their existing artwork or commission an artist recommended by the College who will send us the scanned emblazonment to add to the Grant of Arms.
Option B: Professional Digital Print
Moderately priced professional print featuring gold metallic ink and digital typography on high-quality, heavyweight paper stock, ideal for framing. Emblazonments are digitally added. The document is embellished with a pre-printed decorative border adorned with traditional Georgian motifs designed by Tania Crossingham, Honorary Herald Painter of the Royal House of Georgia.
Option C: Illuminated Manuscript
Our most bespoke offering consists of an Illuminated manuscript on calfskin vellum, meticulously hand-painted and hand-engrossed by Tania Crossingham, Honorary Herald Painter of the Royal House of Georgia. There is artistic license and flexibility regarding the design features and format. Emblazonments are integrated into the cost for this option. See examples here.