What’s in a crest?

The components that make up the crest of the Prince of Wales Island International School are:

In red: Nutmeg, representative of the rich spice plantations which were an important part of the island’s economy in the late 18th and 19th centuries, when clove and nutmeg trees were planted in Penang by the British East India Company. Although the spice trade is no longer a major part of life on the island, the hills above Balik Pulau retain many of the spice orchards from those times.

In blue: This segment depicts the outline of Penang Island, and illustrated in the centre of the map is Areca catechu, or Pinang palm tree, from which the island’s name – Pulau Pinang – was derived. The tree is still common on the island.

In yellow: In use since the 14th century, the royal emblem of the fleur-de-lys is now the badge of the Prince of Wales. In our crest, the three feathers are replaced in the design by three palm fronds, to bring a tropical interpretation to an insignia associated with a lineage from which we get our name.