The mayor of London has been granted the right to use the coat of arms formerly belonging to the Greater London Council (GLC).
The King issued the warrant to the Greater London Authority (GLA) last week following a petition from Sir Sadiq Khan submitted in February. The coat of arms features six blue and white waves symbolising the River Thames and a gold Saxon crown on a red background, representing London’s Saxon heritage and the historic county of Middlesex.
Originally granted to the GLC in October 1966, the coat of arms fell into disuse when the council was abolished in 1986. A GLA spokesperson said the decision marked “an important moment as we commemorate the 25th anniversary of the GLA” and recognised “the important history of devolved government in the capital.”
The GLC was dissolved under the Local Government Act 1985 after clashes between its leader, Ken Livingstone, and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. While most municipal authorities have a coat of arms, the GLA did not apply for one when it was created in 2000. Applications for coats of arms are handled by the College of Arms, with major decisions announced by the King.
The idea of reviving the GLC’s coat of arms was first proposed in 2020 by former London Assembly member Tom Copley, with support from Conservative Assembly member Tony Arbour. Mr Copley, now deputy mayor for housing, described the approval as “a wonderful 25th anniversary gift for the GLA” on X.
