The following is an armorial of the individuals who have served as governor-general of New Zealand.
Almost all governors-general have been granted armorial achievements, sometimes known as coats of arms. Carved panels depicting the full achievements of former governors-general is displayed in the (main entrance hall) of Government House in Wellington, with the most recent addition being that of Dame Pasty Reddy.
The coats of arms of the governors-general from the Earl of Liverpool to Lord Galway were largely inherited, and so do not reflect on their lives or careers. However, those from the 1940s onwards begin to show more elements reflecting the connections between the office of governor-general and New Zealand.
Many of the armorial bearings since those of Sir Denis Blundell have been designed, in whole or in part, by Phillip O'Shea, New Zealand Herald of Arms Extraordinary.
Coats of arms of governors-general
PortraitNameArmsBlazonFull achievements1Arthur Foljambe, Earl of LiverpoolEscutcheon: Sable a bend between six escallops or, and as an honourable augmentation (granted Aug 1906) on the bend in chief on an escutcheon vert a key surmounted by a baton in saltire or.
Crests:
Centre: On a chapeau gules, turned up ermine, a lion rampant gules, charged on the shoulder with a besant, thereon an eagle displayed sable, and resting the dexter hind paw on a plate, charged with a bend azure, thereon three garbs or, and surmounted by an escutcheon argent, charged with an eagle displayed sable, charged on the breast with a fleur-de-lis or, the Lion crowned gold, and supporting with the forepaws a Man-of-War's Church pennant proper (honourable augmentation).
Dexter: A seaweed rock proper, thereon a heraldic sea-lion sejant azure, resting the dexter paw on an escutcheon per fess wavy argent and azure, in chief a cormorant sable, beaked and legged gules, holding in the beak a branch of seaweed (called laver) inverted vert, and in base a hawk, wings elevated and addorsed argent.
Sinister: A man's leg unarmed, couped at the thigh, quarterly or and sable, spurred gold.
Coronet: That of an earl
Supporters: On either side, a griffin, wings elevated or, beaked, membered, ducally gorged, and on the wing three fleurs-de-lis, one and two, all azure, the dexter charged on the breast with a torteau, thereon a cross-crosslet fitchée argent (badge of Howard); and the sinister charged on the breast with a pellet, thereon a stag's head caboshed argent (badge of Cavendish).
Mottos: Over centre crest: (Be steadfast); Over dexter crest: (Be fast); Over sinister crest: Bee fast; Under the arms: (Be steadfast)2John Jellicoe, Viscount JellicoeEscutcheon: Argent, three bars wavy azure, over all a whale hauriant sable.
Crest: Out of a naval crown or, a demi-wolf azure.
Coronet: That of a viscount
Supporters: On either side a sea-griffin or.
Motto: (Remembered for their merits - referencing Virgil's Aeneid, VI, 664)3Sir Charles FergussonEscutcheon: Quarterly: 1st grandquarter azure, a buckle argent between three boars' heads couped or, armed and langued gules (Fergusson of Kilkerran); 2nd grandquarter, counter-quartered: 1st and 4th argent, an eagle displayed sable beaked and membered gules (Ramsay); 2nd and 3rd gules, a chevron between three fleurs de lis or (Broun of Colston); 3rd grandquarter, counterquartered: 1st and 4th or, a lion rampant couped at all joints gules within a double tressure flory counter flory azure (Maitland); 2nd and 3rd argent, a shakefork sable (Cunningham of Glencairn): 4th grandquarter or, on a saltire azure nine lozenges of the first, on a bordure of the second eight mullets and as many boars' heads erased alternately argent (Dalrymple of New Hailes).
Crest: A bee on a thistle proper.
Mottos: (Sweeter after difficulties); on compartment: (May I profit others)4Charles Bathurst, Lord BledisloeEscutcheon: Sable two bars ermine, in chief three cross pattée or.
Crest: A dexter arm in mail embowed, holding in the hand all proper, a club with spike or.
Coronet: That of a viscount
Supporters: On either side a bull guardant gules, ringed, and a line therefrom reflexed over the back or.
Motto: (Keep thy faith)5George Monckton-Arundell, Viscount GalwayEscutcheon: Quarterly, 1st and 4th sable, six swallows, three, two and one, argent (Arundell); 2nd and 3rd sable, on a chevron, between three martlets or, as many mullets of the field (Monckton).
Crest: 1st, On a chapeau azure doubled, turned up ermine, a swallow argent (Arundell); 2nd, A martlet or (Monckton).
Coronet: That of a viscount
Supporters: Two unicorns ermine, crined, armed and unguled, each gorged with an eastern diadem or.
Motto: (To extend my fame by deeds)6Sir Cyril NewallEscutcheon: Per pale azure and gules two lions passant guardant in pale or on a chief ermine a rose of the second barbed and seeded between a lotus flower and a sprig of New Zealand fern all proper.
Crest: Issuant from an astral crown or an eagle wings elevated sable breathing flames proper.
Coronet: That of a baron
Supporters: On either side a pegasus argent gorged with an astral crown or.
Motto: (With God's help)7Bernard Freyberg, Lord FreybergEscutcheon: Or, on a chief sable four mullets of the field.
Crest: A demi lion gules holding between the paws an eagle displayed sable
Coronet: That of a baron
Supporters: On either side a salamander proper.
Motto: New Zeal and Honour (a play on "New Zealand Honour")8Sir Willoughby NorrieEscutcheon: Quarterly: 1st and 4th, ermine, on a pale gules three helmets argent (Norrie); 2nd and 3rd, or, on a chevron azure between two poplar trees eradicated in chief proper, and a mullet of six points in base azure, a key the wards downwards or (Moke).
Crest: Dexter, an elephant's head erased sable, tusked argent, supporting with the trunk a garb or (Norrie). Sinister, stag's head couped, holding in the mouth a branch of poplar proper, between the attired a key as in the arms pendant from a chain or (Moke).
Coronet: That of a baron
Supporters: On either side a dark bay racehorse supporting between the forelegs a frond of New Zealand fern proper.
Motto: (God provides for us)9Charles Lyttelton, Viscount CobhamEscutcheon: Argent, a chevron between three escallops sable (Lyttelton).
Crest: A Moor's head in profile, couped at the shoulders proper, wreathed about the temples argent and sable.
Coronet: That of a viscount
Supporters: On either side a merman proper, holding in the exterior hand a trident or.
Motto: (One God, one King)10Sir Bernard Fergusson Escutcheon: Quarterly: 1st grandquarter azure, a buckle argent between three boars' heads couped or armed and langued gules (Fergusson of Kilkerran) 2nd grandquarter, counterquartered; 1st and 4th argent, an eagle displayed sable beaked and membered gules (Ramsay); 2nd and 3rd gules, a chevron between three fleurs de lis or (Broun of Colston): 3rd grandquarter, counterquartered; 1st and 4th or, a lion rampant couped at all joints gules within a double tressure flory counter flory azure (Maitland); 2nd and 3rd argent, a shakefork sable (Cunningham of Glencairn): 4th grandquarter or, on a saltire azure nine lozenges of the first, on a bordure of the second eight mullets and as many boars' heads erased alternately argent (Dalrymple of New Hailes): the whole within a bordure argent for difference.
Crest: Issuing out of a mullet argent a bee on a thistle proper.
Coronet: That of a baron
Supporters: Dexter, a soldier of the 42nd Highlanders, the Black Watch (The Royal Highland Regiment), attired in the full dress uniform of that regiment, including sporran and the feature bonnet as worn in the early 20th century; sinister, a Māori chieftain attired about the waist in a korowai (or mat) argent, embellished with strings sable, and over his left shoulder another korowai or, also embellished with strings sable, and embroidered sable and gules, two huia feathers in his hair, his face tattooed, a kuru (greenstone pendant) suspended from his dexter ear, his sinister hand grasping the shaft, and his dexter hand the tuft, of a taiaha (spear) held in bend sinister, point downwards proper.
Motto: (Sweeter after difficulties)11Sir Arthur PorrittEscutcheon: Or, a serpent in bend vert between two lions' heads erased gules, on a chief of the last two swords points upwards in saltire of the first, between as many roses argent both surmounted by another gules barbed and seeded proper.
Crest: On a wreath or and gules, a demi heraldic antelope gules armed azure collared or, holding a torch of the last enflamed proper between two fern fronds vert.
Coronet: That of a baron
Supporters: On the dexter side an eagle and on the sinister side a tūī bird both proper.
Motto: (To bear bravely and wisely)12 Sir Denis Blundell Escutcheon: Barruly argent and sable on a chief vert three pallets or in front of the centre pallet a torteau gules.
Crest: Two branches of laurel leaved and fructed proper an acorn argent in front of an escallop reversed gules.
Supporters: Dexter: an owl proper; Sinister: a moa proper.
Motto: 13Sir Keith HolyoakeEscutcheon: Per pale or and gules, on a mount in base counterchanged a holly tree gules fructed or dimidiating an oak tree or fructed gules, two apples slipped in chief and a like apple in base all counterchanged.
Crest: A kiwi supporting with the dexter claw a Māori whale-bone patu-parāoa proper ensigned by a representation of the royal crown.
Supporters: On the dexter side an Aberdeen angus bull supporting a mace representing that of the New Zealand House of Representatives, and on the sinister side a Coopworth ram supporting a black rod representing that of the New Zealand Parliament, all proper.
Motto: Be zealous, compassionate and loyal14Sir David BeattieEscutcheon: Gules, on a chevron engrailed argent between three full bottomed wigs a royal crown between two bees proper.
Crest: Upon a wreath argent and gules, issuant from a circlet of estoiles azure and Pōhutukawa (metrosideros excelsa) blossom a Pīwakawaka fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa) proper.
Supporters: Dexter: A male athlete proper wearing shorts and a singlet sable. Sinister: A judge of the High Court of New Zealand in full ceremonial robes proper.
Motto: (For the Nation)15Sir Paul ReevesEscutcheon: Per pale and per chevron embowed and enhanced argent and azure, three mitres (two and one) the infulae adorned with the Māori pītau kōwhaiwhai pattern and three estoiles (one and two) all counterchanged, in the fess point a royal crown and cap of estate proper.
Crest: Upon a helm with a wreath argent and azure a circlet of the Māori poutama stepped pattern, statant thereon a tūī or parson bird (Prosthemadera novaseelandiae) proper holding aloft in its dexter claw three feathers argent their quills crossing in base.
Supporters: On the dexter a brown kiwi (Apteryx australis) and sinister a kōtuku or white heron (Egretta alba) beaks downward proper each gorged with an ancient crown and supporting with the interior foot crozier or with the shaft adorned with the Māori pītau kōwhaiwhai pattern proper.
Compartment: A grassy mount with fern fronds growing therefrom proper.
Motto: ("To listen" or "To be informed")16Dame Catherine TizardEscutcheon: Barry wavy argent and azure overall a lymphad oars in action the sail sable (Maclean) charged with a representation of the royal crown proper pennons gules between three escallops or.
Crest: Upon a helm with a wreath argent and azure within a circlet upon the rim eight New Zealand ferns (five manifest) argent a cat a mountain guardant sable (Macpherson) holding in its foreclaws a "Kate Sheppard" camellia slipped and leaved proper mantled azure doubled argent.