Foreign Honors for U.S. Presidents (and others)

[Gregmc]

Gregmc wrote: “Grants of arms are not so much ‘grants’ by a sovereign as they are ‘requests’ from a petitioner.”

This is a somewhat hair-splitting argument. While the petitioner generally is granted what he or she requests, the heralds making the grant have to rely on precedents of various kinds that could severely limit what the petitioner asks for.
And at any point the sovereign (or the heralds acting on behalf of the Crown) is at liberty to grant something entirely different.
While this has not, to my knowledge, been done in a long time, it remains a prerogative that overrides any petitioner’s request.
Regards,
Mike

I would argue that mine is not a hair splitting argument as much as it is a truth about the process. Arms have been "granted" by request since the twelfth century. Arms were in vouge . . . ( I guess this is the origination of the term "peer pressure"). The record keeper (herald) was an officer of the sovereign, and thus a "grant" was said to have been made. But, that's always been a sort of misnomer. The guidlines were worked out and vistations were made for the purpose of record and continuity. The precedents set are a matter of the rules and guidelines set by the heralds.

As for different grants of design, you are right. The differences however are decided based on uniqueness of design (as much as possible anyway) and for genealogical and heraldic blazoning proprieties. I can very easily see Lyon Clerk sending notes of correction.

It's a facinating subject: I love it. I always try however to break these things down to their lowest common demoniator to learn how they really work . . . A "Grant" of arms is great selling point, yet the offices are those of registry with historical connections and lineage.

If it's what you desire; then go for it. I can't make up my mind on a design, so I'm holding out: I'll do it in minute, but not until I'm satisfied that I have a design that says what I want it to say.