Edward of Woodstock (the Black Prince)

Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, better known as the "Black Prince" because of the colour of his armour, was the eldest son of Edward III and his queen Philippa of Hainault. His small bronze statuette, or weeper, with his shield of arms can be seen on his father's tomb in Westminster Abbey but he himself is buried in Canterbury Cathedral. This weeper can be viewed from the south ambulatory and he wears a long cloak with a punched design on the base.

He was born on 15th June 1330 and married his cousin Joan of Kent. He fought at the battle of Crecy in 1346 and was known as a great general. Edward was the first Prince of Wales to adopt the motto Ich Dien and use the crest of three ostrich feathers. He died at Westminster Palace on 8th June 1376 before his father. His son succeeded as Richard II.

Further reading

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004

Edward Prince of Wales..a biography of the Black Prince by Richard Barber

Some items of his armour are preserved at Canterbury Cathedral

'Fully armed in plate of war': making the effigy of the Black Prince [in Canterbury cathedral] by J.Barker, G.McArthur & E.Pegues, in Burlington magazine November 2021