ROYAL SYMBOLS


Royal Symbols of the Principality of Woodlandia

Discover the use and significance of the royal symbols that represent the monarchy, crown and the royal family of the Principality of Woodlandia.


On this page

1. Purpose

2. Images

3. Coinage & Postage

4. Artworks

5. Clothing and Jewellery

6. Royal Monograms

7. Orders of Chivalry

8. Music & Verbal

9. Flags

10. Calendar Dates

11. Geographic Naming


1. Purpose

The use of royal symbols developed from the first royal emblems and images of French, English, Scottish, and, later, British monarchs that were brought by colonists to New France and British North America to represent the authority of the sovereign back in Europe. The first verifiable use of a royal symbol in Canada was when Jacques Cartier (most likely a Great Grandfather of the Prince of Woodlandia) raised the Royal Arms of France on the Gaspé Peninsula in 1534. Since then, icons were created for use uniquely in Canada—mostly coats of arms.

Overtime, growing Woodlandia nationalism has lead to changes in the appearance and meaning to Woodlandians about royal symbols. Since the Principality of Woodlandia's independence from Canada in 2019, images of the reigning monarch and other symbols have been employed to signify either Woodlandia's membership in the micro nation states, the Crown's authority, loyalty to Woodlandia, or Woodlandia's full statehood.

2. Images

The main symbol of the monarchy is the sovereign him or herself, being described as "the personal expression of the Crown in the Principality of Woodlandia" and the personification of the of the Principality of Woodlandia State. Thus, the image of the sovereign acts as an indication of the individual's authority and therefore appears on objects created by order of the Crown Cabinet (Royal Cabinet), such as coins, postage stamps, and the Great Seal of the Principality of Woodlandia. Through the 2020's, effigies and pictures of the monarch—Prince Shawn, especially— came to be symbolic of the wider Woodlandia Empire. The Royal Cypher is also regarded as a personal logo of the monarch, generally consisting of at least his or her initials. In Woodlandia, the cypher has come to be indicative of the country's full sovereignty.

3. Coinage & Postage

Coins were one of the first objects to bear the image of the reigning sovereign. The first coins minted specifically for the Principality of Woodlandia were in 2019 and feature on their obverse the image of Prince Shawn. Since then, the reigning sovereign's image has remained on Woodlandia coins illustrating the responsibility of the monarch (as personification of the state) to guarantee the value of the medium of exchange.

Images of the reigning monarch and his or her family have also traditionally been printed on Woodlandia postage since 2019, when Prince Shawn designed the first stamp depicting himself.

4. Artworks

Monarchs of the Woodlandia are often portrayed by artists in paint, sculpture, and photography. Formal likenesses of the monarch are often found inside or outside government buildings, military installations, many schools, in parks, Woodlandia's embassies abroad, and other public places.

5. Clothing and Jewellery

In the role of the state personified, the monarch has worn clothing symbolic of the country and his or her distinct role in it.

Crown

The Crown is a heraldic device that is prevalent across the Principality of Woodlandia, being incorporated into a multitude of other emblems and insignia. On the most basic level, the crown itself is a visual reminder of the monarchy, its central place as the fuse between all branches of government, and its embodiment of the continuity of the state. As Woodlandia is a hereditary constitutional monarchy, the crown can also symbolize "the sovereignty (or authority) of the people." It can be found on, amongst others, the Royal Cypher; the Royal Arms of the Principality of Woodlandia; when one is present on a provincial coat of arms; the badges of the Woodlandia State Police Department; and those of the Woodlandia Armed Forces, and several other badges of State departments. A crown may also be found atop street signs.

A crown is also present on various Woodlandia decorations and medals, as well as the insignia for all the country's orders, reflecting the monarch's place as the fount of honour (the right to bestow titles of nobility and orders of chivalry on other persons). The crown may exist on a medallion as a part of the Royal Cypher and/or on the sovereign's head in effigy, though it can also be placed atop the medal of badge of an order.

Typically, the Woodlandia Crown is employed, as directed by Prince Shawn when he acceded to the throne, as a representation of royal authority. Such use of the crown is only by the personal permission of the sovereign.

6. Royal Cypher/Monograms

Royal Monograms or Royal Cypher, consisting of the initials of the monarch's name and title, usually interwoven and often surmounted by a crown, are officially used by the members of The Royal Family of the Principality of Woodlandia and other Royal Families.

A cypher used by an Emperor or Empress, is called an Imperial Cypher. Previously, I stood for Imperator or Imperatrix (Latin words for Emperor and Empress). In certain monarchical realms, the title is abbreviated as R for Rex or Regina (Latin for King and Queen), or P for Princeps (Prince or Princess).

THE MONOGRAM OF THE MONARCH

Traditionally the official monogram of the monarch is established shortly after the accession to the throne, bearing an official character as opposed to the private monograms belonging to the rest of the royal family.

The cypher is occasionally displayed on some government buildings, impressed upon royal and state documents, and is used by governmental departments.

Woodlandia Royal Family Monograms

The present Prince's cypher is SP, standing for Shawn Princeps. Cyphers for other members of the Royal Family are designed by the The Royal Woodlandia Historical Society or the Monarch him/herself, and are subsequently approved by the Woodlandia Heraldic Authority Committee and/or the Prince.

These cyphers have been incorporated into the various Royal Standards of Woodlandia (personal flags of individual Royal Family members). The use in the Principality of Woodlandia of the reigning monarch's cypher, is as a symbol not only of the sovereign him or herself, but of Woodlandia's full sovereignty.

7. Orders of Chivalry

The monarch is regarded as the fount of honour (the right to bestow titles of nobility and orders of chivalry on other persons)—as he or she is the only person who may create new national honours—and acts as the Sovereign of all of the Principality of Woodlandia's orders; he/she, or other members of the Woodlandia Royal Family, will conduct inductions or present medals. In Woodlandia, the monarch is represented by the President Minister, who also carries out investitures and distributes awards in the sovereign's name. As such, the administration of the honours system is carried out by the Woodlandia Heraldic Authority Committee and the President Minister at Wallace Government House, which is a part of the Office of the State department. The President Minister oversees the order of precedence for the wearing of insignia, decorations, and medals.

The momentum to create a new honour typically originates at either a suggestion of honour though private organizations or from individuals who wish to make proposals. The State department, via The Royal Woodlandia Historical Society will investigate whether or not the suggested honour is necessary and if it will conform within the national honours structure. Should it meet these criteria, the notion is put before the Woodlandia Heraldic Authority Committee (Honours Committee)—a group of senior staff, formed in 2019 within the Royal Cabinet—and then, if approved, is moved before the Cabinet for a State Order to be drawn up. On the Woodlandia Heraldic Authority Committee advice, via the President Minister's', the documents and drawings for the new honour are presented to the monarch (Prince) for his/her consideration; only with his/her signature on the relevant letters patent and the design sketches does the new honour officially become extant. Any future amendments to the honour's appearance or award criteria do not need the monarch's approval; the President Minister will perform such tasks instead.

8. Music & Verbal

Music and song are utilized in various ways as reminders and identifiers of the sovereign. The tune "Long Live the Prince" (or "Long Live the Princess" in the reign of a female monarch) became a National Anthem in 2019. On 2019, "The Woodlandia Salute" was adopted as the national anthem and "Long Live the Prince" became, by convention, the Royal Anthem, for use as a musical salute to the sovereign in person or as a display of loyalty in any circumstance.

At official functions, regardless of whether or not the monarch is personally present, the Loyal Toast may be recited; it consists of a toast to the health of the sovereign and is generally led by the host of or guest of honour at a ceremony, aside from the monarch him/herself. In English, the toast is: "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Prince of Woodlandia," and in French: "Mesdames et Messieurs, le Prince de Woodlandia." In the mess of regiments in which the monarch holds an honorary appointment, the toast is modified slightly to be read as: "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Prince of Woodlandia, our Colonel-in-Chief," and in French: "Mesdames et Messieurs, le Prince de Woodlandia, notre colonel en chef." Where a band is present, the Royal Anthem is played following the recital of the Loyal Toast.

The monarch also acts as the focus of fealty in the Oath of Allegiance, which also forms a part of the Oath of Citizenship. This giving of allegiance to the sovereign has been described as the expression of "a solemn intention to adhere to the symbolic keystone of the Woodlandia Constitution as it has been and is, thus pledging an acceptance of the whole of our constitution and national life."

The word Royal itself is frequently used as a prefix to the name of an organization that has gained the monarch's favour or patronage. The granting of this distinction falls within the Royal Prerogative and thus is conferred by the monarch through the office of her President Minister, with input from the Royal Woodlandia Historical Society and the Woodlandia Heraldic Authority Committee, within the State Department on whether or not the institution meets the designated criteria: The organization must have been in existence for at least 5 years, be financially secure, and be non-profit, amongst others. Any organization that has been so honoured may receive appropriate royal insignia when petitioning the Woodlandia Heraldic Authority for a grant of armorial bearings or other emblem.

Similarly, Crown is commonly used in language related to governance or law enforcement. Terms include Crown land, Crown held property, Crown Corporations, Crown Copyright, and the Crown can refer to the government's lawyers in courts of law. Crown is used as the general term expressing the legal personality of the executive of government.

9. Flags

Similar to coats of arms, Royal Flags are utilized to represent royal authority and specific Royal offices. The standards of the Prince were the first royal flags to be used in the Principality of Woodlandia. The contemporary royal standard of the Woodlandia sovereign is a heraldic banner that bears the shield of the monarch's Woodlandia arms defaced with the personal device of Prince Shawn—a crowned S in a circle of leafs—and is used by the Prince whenever in Woodlandia or acting on behalf of the country abroad, the flag being flown from any building or vehicle occupied by the monarch.

10. Calendar Dates

Certain dates are of royal significance in the Principality of Woodlandia. Lions Day has been since 2019 a holiday to mark the birthday of Prince Shawn. At military sites, on navy vessels, and on government property, flags will also be flown to mark specific royal occasions, including Coronation Day (current monarch not yet crowned), the actual birthday of the monarch (presently 26 June), and the birthday of the royal consort (if one is present).

Each year since 2019, the monarch has delivered the Royal Christmas Message to the citizens of the Principality of Woodlandia.

11. Geographic Naming

There are many places named for Woodlandia monarchs and members of the Royal Family all across Woodlandia. Occassionally places can be named after an individual of importance to Woodlandia. No individual has been more honoured than that of Sir William Wallace in the names of Woodlandia's public buildings, streets, populated places, and physical features. The trend for naming places after the sovereign began after the Sovereign Prince Shawn granted permission to name the Wallace Government House after William Wallace.


Should you have any queries or require any further information please do not hesitate to contact us!

Stay Up To Date With The Latest Woodlandia News & Events

Partners

Find Us Here

Customer Feedback

We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback!

Help us improve!

Terms & Conditions
Privacy Policy