Most prime ministers of the United Kingdom have enjoyed the right to display coats of arms and to this day, prime ministers have their ancestral arms approved, or new armorial bearings granted, either by the College of Arms or the Lyon Court.
Arms of prime ministers by century 18th century Escutcheon Name of prime minister (including peerage title, if any) and heraldic blazon Full achievement Arms of Robert Walpole, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, 1721–1742
Escutcheon: Quarterly of nine, 1st Or on a Fess between two Chevrons Sable three Cross-crosslets of the Field; 2nd Vert a Lion rampant Or two Goutte d'sang; 3rd Gules a saltire engrailed Argent; 4th Azure a Chevron between three crosses Or; 5th Vert a saltire Or; 6th Argent on a fess engrailed between three Escutcheons Gules three mullets pierced Or; 7th Argent between three Cross-crosslets fitchée a fess Gules; 8th Or between three Oak leaves proper a chevron Ermine; 9th Argent between a saltire Azure four gryphon heads Gules.
Coronet: that of an Earl
Crest: A Saracen's Head in profile couped at the shoulders Proper, ducally-crowned Or and from the Coronet flowing a Chapeau Rouge turned down in front tasselled and charged with a Catherine Wheel Or
Motto: Sibi constant (Be true unto oneself)
(The arms were also displayed with no quartering and only the simple arms of Walpole). Arms of Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, 1742–1743
Escutcheon: Sable a Lion passant guardant Or between three Esquires' Helms Argent
Coronet: that of an Earl
Crest: On a Mount a Beacon fired Proper behind it a ribbon inscribed: Nisi Dominus (If no God, nothing)
Motto: Je ne cherche qu'Un (I seek but One) Arms of Henry Pelham, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, 1743–1754
Escutcheon: Quarterly, 1 & 3, Azure, three pelicans argent vulning themselves in the breast gules; 2 & 3, Gules, two belts issuing out of the base argent, buckles and studs or.
Crest: A Peacock in its pride Argent
Motto: Vincit amor patriæ ("Love of my country prevails") Arms of Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, 1754–1756 and 1757–1762
Escutcheon: Quarterly, 1st & 4th, Azure three Pelicans vulning themselves Proper; 2nd & 3rd, Ermine two Piles in point Sable.
Coronet: that of a Duke
Crest: A Peacock in pride Proper
Motto: Vicit amor patria (The love of my country prevails). Arms of William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, 1756–1757
Escutcheon: Sable three Bucks' Heads cabossed Argent, with a Crescent for difference
Coronet: that of a Duke
Crest: A Serpent nowed Proper
Supporters: On the dexter side a Bull Or ducally-crowned Gules and on the sinister side a Lion rampant guardant Gules crined and ducally-crowned Or
Motto: Cavendo tutus (Secure by caution) Arms of John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, 1762–1763
Escutcheon: Or a Fess chequy Azure and Argent within a Double Tressure flory-counterflory Gules
Coronet: that of an Earl
Crest: A Demi-lion rampant Gules
Motto: Nobilis est ira leonis (Noble is the lion's wrath) Arms of George Grenville, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, 1763–1765
Escutcheon: Vert on a Cross Argent five Torteaux Gules
Crest: A Garb Vert
Motto: Repetens exempla suorum (Following the example set by our forebears) Arms of William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, 1766–1768
Escutcheon: Sable a Fess chequy Argent and Azure between three Bezants Or
Coronet: that of an Earl
Crest: A Stork Proper beaked and membered Or resting the dexter claw on an Anchor erect cabled of the Last
Motto: Benigno numine (By Divine providence) Arms of Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, 1768–1770
Escutcheon: Royal arms of King Charles II (differenced), viz: grandquarterly, 1st and 4th, France and England quarterly; 2nd, Scotland; 3rd, Ireland; the whole debruised by a Baton sinister compony of six pieces Argent and Azure
Coronet: that of a Duke
Crest: On a Chapeau Gules doubled Ermine a Lion statant guardant Or crowned with a ducal-coronet Azure and gorged with a Collar countercompony Argent and of the Fourth
Motto: Et decus et pretium recti (By Grace, the prize of rectitude)Arms of Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, 1770–1782
Escutcheon: Azure a Lion passant between three Fleurs-de-lis Argent
Coronet: that of an Earl
Crest: A Dragon's Head erased Sable ducally-gorged and chained Or
Supporters: On either side a Mastiff Proper
Mottos: La vertu est la seule noblesse (Virtue is the only nobility); Animo et fide (With courage and Faith) Arms of Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, 1782
Escutcheon: Quarterly, 1st and 4th, Argent on a Chevron engrailed Azure between three Martlets Sable as many Crescents Or (Watson); 2nd and 3rd, Sable a Chevron between three Leopards' Faces Or (Wentworth)
Coronet: that of a Marquess
Crest: A Griffin passant wings elevated Argent beaked forelegged and ducally-gorged Or
Supporters: On the dexter side a Griffin Argent beaked and forelegged Gules collared vairé Ermine and Azure and on the sinister side a Lion Or collared vairé Ermine and Gules
Mottos: Mea gloria fides (Trust is my renown); En Dieu est tout (In God is all) Arms of William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury 1782–1783
Escutcheon: Quarterly, 1st and 4th, Ermine on a Bend Azure a Magnetic Needle pointing at a Polar Star Or (Petty); 2nd and 3rd, Argent a Saltire Gules a Chief Ermine (FitzMaurice)
Coronet: that of an Earl
Crests: 1st, a Beehive beset with Bees diversely volant Proper (Petty); 2nd, a Centaur drawing a Bow and Arrow Proper the equine part from the waist Argent (FitzMaurice)
Supporters: On either side a Pegasus Ermine bridled crined winged and unguled Or each charged on the shoulder with a Fleur-de-lis Azure
Motto: Virtute non verbis (By courage not words) Arms of William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, 1783 and 1807–1809
Escutcheon: Quarterly, 1st and 4th, Azure a Cross Moline Argent (Bentinck); 2nd and 3rd, Sable three Stags' Heads cabossed Argent attired Or with a Crescent for difference (Cavendish)
Coronet: that of a Duke
Crests: 1st, Issuant from a ducal coronet Proper two Arms counter-embowed vested Gules on the hands Gloves Or each holding an Ostrich Feather Argent (Bentinck); 2nd, a Snake nowed Proper (Cavendish)
Supporters: On either side a Lion double-queued the dexter Or and the sinister Sable
Motto: Craignez honte (Fear dishonour) Arms of William Pitt the Younger, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, 1783–1801 and 1804–1806
Escutcheon: Sable a Fess chequy Argent and Azure between three Bezants Or, with a Crescent for difference
Crest: A Stork Proper beaked and membered Or resting the dexter claw on an Anchor erect cabled of the Last
Motto: Benigno numine (By Divine providence)
(The patrilineal arms of The Hon. (later Rt. Hon.) William Pitt were cadenced from birth; he became the first PM following the Act of Union 1800 which merged Great Britain and Ireland to form the United Kingdom)
19th century Escutcheon Name of prime minister (including peerage title, if any) and heraldic blazon Full achievement Arms of Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, 1801–1804
Escutcheon: Per pale Ermine and Erminés a Chevron charged with five Lozenges counterchanged between three Fleurs-de-lis Or
Coronet: that of a Viscount
Crest: A Cat-a-mountain sejant guardant Proper bezanty the dexter forepaw resting on an inescutcheon Azure charged with a Mace erect surmounted with a Regal Crown Or within a Bordure engrailed Argent
Supporters: On either side a Stag the dexter Erminés the sinister Ermine both attired and gorged with a Chain pendant therefrom a Key all Or
Motto: Libertas sub rege pio (Liberty under a pious King) Arms of William Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury 1806–1807
Escutcheon: Quarterly, 1st and 4th, Vert on a Cross Argent five Torteaux Gules (Grenville); 2nd, Or an Eagle displayed Sable (Leofric, Earl of Mercia); 3rd, Argent two Bars Sable each charged with three Martlets Or (Temple)
Coronet: that of a Baron
Crest: A Garb Vert
Supporters: On the dexter side a Lion per fess embattled Gules and Or and on the sinister side a Horse Argent semé of Eaglets Sable with both supporters collared Argent banded Vert charged with three Torteaux counterchanged
Motto: Repetens exempla suorum (Following the example set by our forebears) Arms of Spencer Perceval, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury 1809–1812
Escutcheon: Argent on a chief indented gules three crosses pattées of the field
Crest: A thistle proper erect
Motto: (Below) Sub cruce candida ("Under the Holy Cross") (Above) Yvery
Supporters: On either side an eagle volant sable Arms of Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury 1812–1827
Escutcheon: Azure a Fess wavy Argent charged with a Cross Pattée Gules in chief two Estoiles Or and as an augmentation of honour granted to his father the 1st Earl of Liverpool, upon a Chief wavy of the Second a Cormorant Sable beaked and legged of the Third holding in the beak a Seaweed (or Liver) branch inverted Vert (for Liverpool)
Coronet: that of an Earl
Crest: A Seahorse assurgent Argent maned Azure supporting a Cross Pattée Gules
Supporters: On either side a Hawk wings elevated and inverted Proper beaked legged and belled Or charged on the breast with a Cross Pattée Gules
Motto: Palma non sine pulvere ("Dare to try") Arms of George Canning, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, 1827
Escutcheon: Argent three Moors' Heads in profile two and one couped Proper wreathed about the temples of the First and Azure
Crest: A Demi-lion rampant Argent charged with three Trefoils Vert holding in its dexter paw an Arrow pointing downwards pheoned and flighted Proper shaft Or
Motto: Ne cede malis ced contra ("Yield not to misfortunes, but counter them") Arms of Frederick Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury 1827–1828
Escutcheon: Vert a Chevron between three Stags at gaze Or
Coronet: that of a Viscount
Crest: Out of a Coronet composed of Fleurs-de-lis a Mount Vert thereon a Stag at gaze Or
Supporters: On either side a Greyhound reguardant Sable
Motto: Qualis ab incepto (As it was in the beginning) Arms of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury 1828–1830 and 1834
Escutcheon: Quarterly, 1st and 4th, Gules a Cross Argent in each quarter five Plates in saltire (Wellesley); 2nd and 3rd, Or a Lion rampant Gules ducally-collared also Or (Cowley); over all in centre chief point an Inescutcheon charged with the Union Badge
Coronet: that of a Duke
Crest: Out of a ducal coronet Or a Demi-lion rampant Gules holding in the paws a forked Pennon Argent flowing to the sinister charged with the Cross of St George the ends Gules
Supporters: On either side a Lion Gules gorged with an Eastern Coronet and chained Or
Motto: Virtutis fortuna comes (Fortune favours the brave) Arms of Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury 1830–1834
Escutcheon: Gules a Lion rampant within a Bordure engrailed Argent in dexter chief point a Mullet Or
Coronet: that of an Earl
Crest: A Scaling Ladder Or hooked and pointed Sable
Supporters: On the dexter side a Lion guardant Purpure ducally-crowned Or and on the sinister side a Tiger guardant Proper