A tour of Robbie Williams' tattoos and their meanings

Publish date: 2024-06-10

While Robbie Williams is a household name thanks to his longstanding music career, he's also become known for his impressive collection of tattoos, which he has consistently added to over the years. 

The 'Let Me Entertain You' hitmaker has over 20 tattoos, but what are they and what are the meanings behind them? Read on to find out…

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Celtic Cross

The Celtic Cross symbol was Robbie's first-ever tattoo. Raised as a Catholic, Robbie saw the cross as a symbol of protection.

He had the print tattooed in Amsterdam when he was 17 years old as a replacement for a cross necklace that he lost. 

"My reasoning was that I lost my Celtic cross chain and if I had it on my leg, I'd never lose it," he said in a video on his YouTube channel. 

Pyramid and UFO

This design was created by American artist Keith Haring, who rose to prominence from the New York City graffiti subculture of the 1980s.

"I really like Keith Haring, I really like UFOs and I really like pyramids," Robbie said of the tattoo.

Teddy Bear

This adorable print is in honour of his daughter, Theodora, who was born in 2012. Robbie also has the Coco Chanel logo on his right arm as a tribute to his five-year-old daughter Coco.

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Maori Prayer

Robbie was in Amsterdam when he had a Maori Prayer tattooed on his left shoulder. The print, which features a shark and the sea, took a whopping three hours to ink. 

The Take That star previously admitted that he may have upset some Maori elders with his tattoo. "Some people were offended. I didn't mean to offend, I just love it," he said. 

B

A tattoo dedicated to his grandmother, Bertha, who was affectionately known as 'B'.

Two Glasses

As a tribute to 1970s comedy duo, Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett, who were known as 'The Two Ronnies', Robbie had two pairs of glasses inked on his neck. 

"It's probably related to my nan too, because some of my happiest times when I was growing up was me sat in front of the TV at my grandma's, eating crisp sandwiches and watching the 'Two Ronnies'," he explained. 

Morecambe & Wise and Elvis Grant Me Serenity

Just like his Two Glasses tattoo, Robbie's silhouette of the comic double act Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise reminds him of his childhood and watching television with his grandma.

In this photo, Robbie's Elvis Grant Me Serenity tattoo is also on show. 

The print was inspired by a prayer he used to recite at Alcoholics Anonymous that reads: "God. Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I can. And the wisdom to know the difference."

Putting his own spin on the prayer, the 'Angels' hitmaker decided to pray to the King of Rock and Roll instead, and would recite it before going on stage.

"It's a mix between Alcoholics Anonymous and my love for the King," said Robbie. 

Fez

In honour of British comedian and magician, Tommy Cooper, Robbie has a Fez tattoo on his left wrist. Again, the design is a reminder of the musician's childhood memories with his grandmother. 

Sigil of Archangel Michael

On his hand, Robbie has a tattoo of the Sigil of Archangel Michael, which is a representation of strength and protection. The 49-year-old was inspired by his "affection" for the saint.

SEE: Robbie Williams' mini-me daughter Teddy is following in his footsteps in adorable video

Lion and Born To Be Mild

The lion serves as a symbol of bravery for Robbie, who has used the tattoo as inspiration during times when he didn't feel strong. 

Directly below the lion is the phrase 'Born To Be Mild', which is a variation of the Steppenwolf song, 'Born To Be Wild'.

The Christian and Jack

Having been raised a Catholic, Robbie was inspired to get a print of 'The Christian' on his right arm after seeing its image in a book. 

The name 'Jack' on Robbie's right wrist is a tribute to his beloved grandfather Jack Farrell.

Take That Logo and DE

When Take That got back together in 2009, Robbie marked the special moment on his right arm. 

His bandmates weren't overly impressed, however, with Jason asking him: "What have you done that for?" 

The 'DE' tattoo, on the other hand, is a tribute to the late David Enthoven, who was both a manager and a father figure to Robbie. 

Staffordshire Knot

Robbie had the Staffordshire knot, which is a symbol of his hometown Stoke-on-Trent, tattooed on his hand as a tribute to where he came from.

Ace Of Spades

The "Ace of Spades" symbol printed on Robbie's right hand is inspired by the iconic song of the same name by the rock band Motörhead, which was fronted by Stoke-on-Trent native Lemmy Kilmister.

Burslem Coat of Arms

Robbie is very proud of his roots, and that's clear to see from the Burslem coat of arms on his left arm. 

"Staffordshire means a lot to me, Stoke means a lot to me," he said. 

A

Robbie has an 'A' printed on his wedding ring finger to signify his love for wife, Ayda Field.

Chacun à son goût and Two Swallows

This French phrase 'each to their own taste' caught Ayda's attention on her first date with Robbie. The pair were sitting in a hot tub when the actress noticed the print.

Robbie explained: "She was like, 'I speak French, it's a sign! It's all a sign.' Then she read it and realised it was misspelt."

The pair of swallows printed on Robbie's stomach signify freedom and loyalty. 

Mother I Love You

To demonstrate his affection for his mother, Robbie had the word 'mother' printed down one forearm, and 'I love you' on the other. 

The words are tattooed in Old English, which was a decision inspired by the Mexican Gangster look that Robbie favoured at the time. 

The Saint

Robbie's tattoo of 'The Saint' serves as a reminder of his father, who used to doodle pictures of the symbol in his diaries. Robbie's love for the TV show The Saint, which starred Roger Moore, was also a motivation to get inked.

X

Louis Tomlinson is responsible for the 'X' on Robbie's left arm. While filming The X Factor, the pair decided to solidify their friendship with matching tattoos.

All You Need Is Love music notes

The musical notes print was inspired by one of Robbie's friends, who had a similar tattoo.

The singer went for The Beatles' classic hit, 'All You Need Is Love', but put his own spin on the design one Valentine's Day as a gift for his wife Ayda, replacing the word 'love' with her name. 

Eye of Horus

This Ancient Egyptian sign is a symbol of protection, royal power and good health.

What other tattoos does Robbie have? 

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