UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549


                                    FORM 8-K


                             CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT
                          TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


       Date of report (Date of earliest event reported)      April 19, 2006
                                                       -------------------------

                            City National Corporation
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

                                    Delaware
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

           1-10521                                      95-2568550
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (Commission File Number)                 (IRS Employer Identification No.)

               City National Center
400 North Roxbury Drive, Beverly Hills, California               90210
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                 (Zip Code)

                                 (310) 888-6000
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

                                 Not Applicable
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

     Check the  appropriate  box below if the Form 8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

     |_| Written  communications  pursuant to Rule 425 under the  Securities Act
(17 CFR 230.425)

     |_| Soliciting  material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17
CFR 240.14a-12)

     |_|  Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b)  under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

     |_|  Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c)  under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))




Items 2.02 and 7.01.    RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION and
                        REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

                        On  April  19, 2006, City National  Corporation issued a
                        press  release  reporting   its  financial  results  for
                        the  quarter  ended  March  31,  2006.  A  copy  of  the
                        press  release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is
                        incorporated  herein by reference.  This  information is
                        being   furnished  under  both  Item  2.02  (Results  of
                        Operations  and   Financial  Condition)  and  Item  7.01
                        (Regulation FD Disclosure) of Form 8-K.


Item 9.01               FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

                        (d)  Press  release  dated   April  19,  2006  reporting
                             the financial results of City National  Corporation
                             for the quarter ended March 31, 2006.



                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                                CITY NATIONAL CORPORATION


April 19, 2006                                  /s/ Christopher J. Carey
                                                --------------------------------
                                                   Christopher J. Carey
                                                   Executive Vice President and
                                                   Chief Financial Officer
                                                   (Authorized Officer and
                                                    Principal Financial Officer)