David White (officer of arms)

David Vines White OStJ (born 27 October 1961), a member of the Royal Household, has since 2021 served as Garter Principal King of Arms.[1]

David White
White as Somerset Herald, in 2006
Garter Principal King of Arms
Assumed office
1 July 2021
MonarchsElizabeth II
Charles III
Preceded bySir Thomas Woodcock
Somerset Herald
In office
2004–2021
Personal details
Born (1961-10-27) 27 October 1961
Alma materPembroke College, Cambridge

The senior herald and genealogist at the College of Arms in London, as Garter King of Arms, White is responsible for the governance of the law of arms in England and Wales, the succession of peerage and baronet titles, introducing new peers to the House of Lords, and oversight of royal ceremonial duties.[2]

As Garter, he assisted the Earl Marshal in arranging the Royal Procession at the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla.[3]

Life
Garter (right) and Clarenceux Kings of Arms at the 2022 State Opening of Parliament

Born in Scotland, the younger son of Sheila (née Chatterton) and Peter Vines White (died 1999 at Shilton, Oxfordshire),[4] he was educated at Marlborough College, before going up to Pembroke College, Cambridge, graduating as MA.[5]

As an undergraduate he was elected President of the Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society. He then pursued postgraduate studies in the History of Art at the Courtauld Institute, receiving a further MA degree from the University of London.[6]

White served as a research assistant to Theobald Mathew, Windsor Herald, and contributor to Burke's Peerage & Baronetage. In 1995, he was appointed Rouge Croix Pursuivant, following in the tradition of eminent genealogists such as Sir Henry Farnham Burke and Sir Anthony Wagner. In 2004, he was advanced Somerset Herald, and from 2014 to 2021 also served as Registrar of the College of Arms.[7]

On 1 July 2021, White was promoted Garter Principal King of Arms, succeeding Sir Thomas Woodcock upon his retirement.[8] On 1 August 2021, White became Inspector of Regimental Colours to the British Army.[9]

A member of the Council of The Heraldry Society of London (Chairman 2006–09, now Hon. FHS) and of the British Record Society, since 2021, White has served as Genealogist of the Most Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem,[10] and of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Honorary Genealogist of the Royal Victorian Order since 2010,[11] and is also a committee member of the Travellers' Club.[12]

On 10 September 2022, as Garter King of Arms, White proclaimed the accession of Charles III from the Proclamation Gallery in Friary Court, St James's Palace, London[13] before a global television audience.[14] On 19 September 2022 he proclaimed the styles and titles of Elizabeth II over her descending coffin at the end of HM committal service in St George's Chapel, Windsor.

OStJ insignia

Honours and decorations

Arms
Coat of arms of David Vines White
Crest
A cock's head erased sable combed and wattled gules gorged by three annulets engrailed argent.
Escutcheon
Argent goutty de sang three cocks' heads erased sable combed and wattled gules a bordure engrailed sable.[16]
Other versions
White impales Garter King's arms (dexter) with his family arms (sinister) whilst in office.

See also

References
  1. "Garter King of Arms, 02 July 2021". College of Arms. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  2. The Officers of Arms College of Arms
  3. "Coronation order of service in full". BBC News. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  4. Notice of death of Sheila White, telegraph.co.uk; accessed 13 April 2015
  5. www.college-of-arms.gov.uk
  6. "White, David Vines, (born 27 Oct. 1961)". www.ukwhoswho.com. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u70860. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  7. London Gazette profile; accessed 13 April 2015.
  8. "No. 63408". The London Gazette. 5 July 2021. p. 77.
  9. "No. 63522". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 November 2021. p. 20040.
  10. www.stjohnengland.org.uk
  11. The College of Arms Newsletter no. 25 Archived 7 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine, June 2010, pg. 2; accessed 13 April 2015.
  12. www.thetravellersclub.org.uk
  13. www.thenationalnews.com
  14. www.royal.uk
  15. www.thegazette.co.uk
  16. "Armorial - Honorary Members - David Vines WHITE". whitelionsociety.org.uk. Retrieved 20 November 2018.


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