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61-603: The royal standard of the United Kingdom is the banner of arms of the monarch of the United Kingdom , currently Charles III . It consists of the monarch's coat of arms in flag form, and is made up of four quarters containing the arms of the former kingdoms of England , Ireland , and Scotland . There are two versions of the banner, one used in Scotland in which the Scottish quarters take precedence, and one used elsewhere in which

122-421: A banner , but a banner is in a more strict sense a one of a kind personal flag of a nobleman held in battle. [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Lion Rampant The lion is a common charge in heraldry . It traditionally symbolises courage , nobility , royalty , strength, stateliness and valour , because historically

183-500: A queen regnant are not granted use of the British Royal Standard. They use standards based on their own family arms. However, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha used a standard of the royal arms (with a label for difference) quartered with his own family arms. The first quarter, representing Denmark, consists of three blue lions passant and nine red hearts on a yellow field. The second quarter, representing Greece, consists of

244-487: A Lion, and blazon him by his true name. A lion walking and looking about him, the early Heralds held to be acting the part of a leopard: consequently, when he was in any such attitude, they blazoned him as "a leopard". The animal bearing that name bore it simply as an heraldic title, which distinguished a Lion in a particular attitude. These heraldic "leopards" were drawn in every respect as other heraldic "lions", without spots or any leopardish distinction whatever. This explains

305-455: A blue shield decorated six golden lions rampant and wearing a blue helmet adorned with another lion. A chronicle dated to c. 1175 states that Geoffrey was given a shield of this description when he was knighted by his father-in-law, Henry I , in 1128. Earlier heraldic writers attributed the lions of England to William the Conqueror , but the earliest evidence of the association of lions with

366-457: A different color, it is said to be armed of that tincture, and if the tongue is a different color it is langued of that tincture. For example, the blazon of the monarch of Scotland is Or, a lion gules, within a double tressure flory counter-flory of the same, armed and langued azure. The arms of the Cinque Ports depict lions dimidiated with the hulks of ships, incorporating the front half of

427-666: A female , could not accede to Hanover. Famous Royal Standards of former British Monarchs include the Scotland Impaled Royal Standard of Queen Anne , the Hanover Quartered Royal Standards of King George I to George III , and the Hanover crowned Royal Standards of George III to William IV . The latter contained the Royal coat of arms of Hanover superimposed over what became the modern Royal Standard of

488-415: A grant of arms on 17 July 2005, which, based on past practice, could form the basis for her own standard. Since the ascension of her husband Charles III, as queen consort she has used a new version, based on her husband's royal standard, impaled with the arms of her father, Major Bruce Shand. The Royal Standard is reserved only for the monarch, and is the most used. Most famously it signals the presence of

549-525: A lion rampant guardant (i.e., upright like a lion with its head turned to full face like a leopard) and a Lion léopardé as a lion passant (i.e., walking like a leopard with its head facing dexter like a lion). German-American heraldist Carl-Alexander von Volborth agrees with Rietstap's translations, in contrast to those of Fox-Davies as stated above. As if to clarify the situation, English heraldist Hugh Clark wrote in his Introduction to Heraldry (1829): The true heraldic lion, according to French authors,

610-496: A lion's whole body is turned to face right, he is to sinister or contourné . If his whole body faces the viewer, he is affronté . If his head only faces the viewer he is guardant or gardant , and if he looks back over his shoulder he is regardant . These adjectives follow any other adjectives of position. A lion (or other beast) coward carries the tail between its hind legs. The tail also may be knotted ( nowed ), forked ( queue fourchée ), doubled ( double-queued ; as in

671-399: A lympago, possesses a human face. Both lions and leopards may have been among the earliest beasts to appear in heraldry. The Oxford Guide to Heraldry notes that the earliest English treatise on heraldry, a late-13th or early-14th century Anglo-Norman manuscript titled De Heraudrie , mentions the crow, eagle, griffin, heron, leopard, lion, martlet, popinjay, and swan. Citing Bado Aureo,

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732-541: A number of coats of arms with lions, most of them of ministeriales of the House of Habsburg. The lion in the coat of arms of Bohemia is depicted with two tails ( à la queue fourchée ). According to Ménestrier , this is due to a jest made by Emperor Frederick , who granted Vladislaus II, Duke of Bohemia a coat of arms with a lion coué , that is, with its tail between its legs. Vladislaus' men refused to follow this emblem, calling it an ape, so that Frederick agreed to improve

793-516: A standard, in heraldic terminology the flag is a banner of arms, as it is a coat of arms in flag form; standards are more typically tapering flags on which heraldic badges and mottoes are displayed. In England , Northern Ireland , Wales , the Crown dependencies and the British Overseas Territories , the flag is divided into four quadrants . The first and fourth quadrants represent

854-520: A white cross on a blue field. The third quarter, representing the duke's surname, Mountbatten , contains five black and white vertical stripes. The fourth quarter, which alludes to his title as Duke of Edinburgh, includes a black and red castle, which is also part of the city of Edinburgh's arms. Other members of the royal family may use the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom, but within an ermine border (a white border with black "tails" representing

915-539: Is a French term for what the English call a Lion passant gardant . The word leopard is always made use of by the French heralds to express in their language, a lion full-faced, or gardant . Thus, when a lion is placed on an escutcheon in that attitude which we call rampant gardant , the French blazon it a Lion Leopardé . When he is passant only, they call him leopard lioné . English heraldist Charles Boutell wrote in 1890 that

976-503: Is always to be represented in profile, or, as the ancient heralds say, showing but one eye and one ear. His attitude, also, should always be rampant or ravaging. When passant and full-faced, they blazoned him a leopard, vide Lion Leopardé : in England, however, the lions in the royal and other achievements have always been blazoned as lions, however depicted since the time of Henry III, in whose reign they were called "Leopards". Lion Leopardé ...

1037-510: Is commonly referred to as the Lion of Saint Mark , although Arthur Fox-Davies defined as a Lion of Saint Mark one present in a specifically religious context and depicted with a halo . The winged lion is the traditional symbol of Venice , whose patron saint is Mark the Evangelist. A sea-lion, also called a morse, is depicted with the tail of a fish replacing its hindquarters, hind legs and tail. It

1098-417: Is described as naiant when depicted horizontally, and as resurgent when rising from water. They typically appear as supporters, but are also known as charges and crests. The lion-dragon is a lion with the lower body, hind legs, wings and tail of a wyvern , although Fox-Davies doubted the existence of this figure outside of heraldry books and reported not to know of any actual use of it. The man-lion, also called

1159-495: Is termed a léopard is always guardant (head turned toward the observer), thus the modern English heraldic terms "lion passant guardant", "lion passant", and "lion rampant guardant" correlate to the Old French terms léopard , lion léopardé , and léopard lionné , respectively. A small group of examples is depicted listed below. Western depictions Heraldic lions have also found their way onto municipal or county seals in

1220-516: The 5th century , they were re-interpreted in a Christian context in the western kingdoms of Gaul and Italy in the 6th and 7th centuries. The characteristic of the lion as royal animal in particular is due to the influence of the Physiologus , an early Christian book about animal symbolism, originally written in Greek in the 2nd century and translated into Latin in about AD 400. It was a predecessor of

1281-522: The Commonwealth Flag , the Flag of Europe , the county flags , the flags of cities or towns, the banners of arms, and the house flags. Banner of arms The term is derived from the terminology of heraldry but mostly used in vexillology . Examples of modern national flags which are banners of arms are the flags of Austria , Iraq , and Switzerland . The banner of arms is sometimes simply called

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1342-669: The Order of the Garter , at the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant Prince Andrew's standard flew from MV Havengore . However, the use of personal standards of other members of the royal family varies in frequency. Prior to his accession, the then- Prince of Wales flew his standard at Clarence House in the same way the Royal Standard is used over Buckingham Palace, but other members of the family tend not to fly theirs from their respective residences (though this may be due to

1403-520: The Oxford Guide further suggests that the leopard, said to be "borne of an adulterous union between a lioness and a pard ," and like a mule incapable of reproducing, may be an appropriate charge for a person born of adultery or barred from reproducing (such as an abbot ). As a general rule, English heralds tend to identify lions as rampant (upright, in profile facing dexter), and leopards as passant guardant (walking, head turned to full face), but

1464-507: The Staufen (Hohenstaufen) and Wittelsbach ( Palatinate ) coats of arms, both deriving from Henry the Lion , the royal coat of arms of Scotland , attributed to William the Lion , the coat of arms of Denmark , first used by Canute VI , the coat of arms of Flanders ( Jülich ), first used by Philip I , the coat of arms of León , an example of canting arms attributed to Alfonso VII (1126), and

1525-458: The University of Birmingham . Alternatively, a lion may be depicted with one head connected to two distinct bodies, in which case it its termed bicorporated. If the conjoined bodies are three, the lion is instead termed tricorporated. These multi-bodied lions, however, are very rare. Also, the claws and tongue of the lion may be described as a different tincture than a "proper" lion. If the claws are

1586-618: The coat of arms of Bohemia , first granted to Vladislaus II . Coats of arms of the 13th century include those of the House of Sverre ( coat of arms of Norway ), the Ludovingians (the lion of Hesse used by Conrad of Thuringia ), Luxembourg , the kingdom of Ruthenia ( Volhynia ), the House of Habsburg (the Habsburgs all but abandoned their original coat of arms after gaining the Duchy of Austria in

1647-414: The leopard , denoting a lion passant guardant, was a term of French origin that had "long since become obsolete in English armory. In French blazon, however, the old distinction is still observed." Fox-Davies continued, "[French heralds] term our lion passant a léopard-lionné and our lion rampant guardant is their lion-léopardé ." Dutch heraldist Johannes Rietstap , however, defined a Léopard lionné as

1708-785: The lion has been regarded as the "king of beasts". The lion also carries Judeo-Christian symbolism. The Lion of Judah stands in the coat of arms of Jerusalem . Similar-looking lions can be found elsewhere, such as in the coat of arms of the Swedish royal House of Bjälbo , from there in turn derived into the coat of arms of Finland , formerly belonging to Sweden. The animals of the "barbarian" ( Eurasian ) predecessors of heraldic designs are likely to have been used as clan symbols . Symmetrically paired animals in particular find continuation from Migration Period art via Insular art to Romanesque art and heraldry. Adopted in Germanic tradition around

1769-459: The 1270s, but it remained in use in derived lineages such as the House of Kyburg ), the kingdom of Bulgaria and the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia ( Rubenids ). Unlike the eagle , which is comparatively rare in heraldry because it was reserved as an imperial symbol , the lion became a symbol of chivalry and was not restricted to royal coats of arms. The Zürich armorial (14th century) has

1830-824: The Crown, including the First Minister , Lord Lieutenants in their lieutenancies, the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland , and Lord Lyon King of Arms . A variation of the Royal Standard of Scotland is used by the heir apparent to the King of Scots , the Duke of Rothesay, whose personal Royal Standard is the Royal Standard of Scotland defaced with an azure -coloured label of three points. (The banner of

1891-651: The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince William. Personal Standards have been used to cover the coffins of the Queen Mother , the Duke of Edinburgh , Princess Margaret and the Duke of Windsor . According to the Flag Institute , the order of precedence of flags in the United Kingdom is: the Royal Standard, Union Flag , the flag of the host country (England, Scotland and Wales etc.), the flags of other nations (in alphabetical order ),

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1952-516: The Duke of Rothesay also features the same, displayed upon an inner shield). The direct heir to the Throne has several distinct standards and banners for use throughout the United Kingdom in representation of this position. William, Prince of Wales has five standards at use for his various roles and titles. Used in England and Northern Ireland, this standard was created in 1917. Used in Wales, this standard

2013-476: The English crown is a seal bearing two lions passant, used by the future King John during the lifetime of his father, Henry II , who died in 1189. Since Henry was the son of Geoffrey Plantagenet, it seems reasonable to suppose that the adoption of lions as an heraldic emblem by Henry or his sons might have been inspired by Geoffrey's shield. John's elder brother, Richard the Lionheart , who succeeded his father on

2074-446: The English quarters take precedence. The banner is flown to signify the presence of the monarch. It may be flown when they are present at one of their residences, from the car, ship, or aeroplane they are travelling in, and from any building they are visiting. The banner is never flown at half-mast , as a symbol of the continuity of the monarchy, and also as there is always a sovereign on the throne . Although almost universally called

2135-493: The Royal Standard of the United Kingdom (including that which is used in Scotland), defaced with a white label and either three points or pendants (for children of a sovereign), or five points (grandchildren of a sovereign). Traditionally all princes and princesses of royal blood (i.e., descendants of the sovereign) are granted arms on their 18th birthday, thus giving them a banner to fly from their residences. The following members of

2196-461: The United Kingdom, although this particular standard's artistic representations of the banners of England, Ireland and Scotland in their respective quadrants was marginally different from the versions used today. In Scotland a separate version of the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom is used, whereby the red Lion Rampant of the Kingdom of Scotland appears in the first and fourth quadrants, displacing

2257-407: The ancient Kingdom of England and contain three gold lions (or " leopards "), passant guardant on a red field; the second quadrant represents the ancient Kingdom of Scotland and contains a red lion rampant on a gold field; the third quadrant represents the ancient Kingdom of Ireland and contains a version of the gold harp from the coat of arms of Ireland on a blue field. The inclusion of

2318-401: The arms by giving the lion not just one but two erect tails. As many attitudes (positions) now exist in heraldry as the heraldist's imagination can conjure, as a result of the ever-increasing need for differentiation, but very few of these were apparently known to medieval heralds. One distinction commonly made (especially among French heralds), although it may be of limited importance, is

2379-447: The arms of the kingdom of Bohemia), or cut off ( defamed ). In addition to the attitudes it is depicted in, a certain variety is present in heraldic lions regarding the presence of additional physical features. Beyond the presence of double or forked tails, heraldic lions are sometimes depicted with two heads, as in the case of the arms of the Mason of Birmingham, from whom they were passed to

2440-432: The attitude of their "Lions" were heraldic "leopards". In Heraldry: Sources, Symbols and Meaning (1976), German heraldist Ottfried Neubecker explained: When the blazon does not specifically mention a position, the lion may be assumed to be rampant. If he is in a different position, other terminology must be used, referring to the position of his head and limbs. An early heraldic convention found in medieval blazons uses

2501-543: The banner of the Royal Coat of Arms of Scotland , the Royal Standard of Scotland remains a personal banner of the monarch and, despite being commonly used as an unofficial second flag of Scotland, its use is restricted under an act passed in 1672 by the Parliament of Scotland . The historic Royal Standard of Scotland is used officially at Scottish royal residences, when the monarch is not in residence, and by representatives of

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2562-453: The distinction between a lion and a leopard previously employed by the ancient Greeks. In antiquity, the lion, having a heavy mane, was generally shown in profile, while the leopard, having less hair, was shown looking towards the observer. A lion looking towards the observer therefore came to be given the name of the animal usually shown in that pose. According to Neubecker, what in Old French

2623-405: The distinction of lions in the walking positions as leopards . The following table summarizes the principal attitudes of heraldic lions: Note: the term segreant denotes the same position, but is only used in reference to winged four-legged beasts like griffins and dragons . Note: A lion thus depicted may be called a "leopard" (see discussion below). Other terms are used to describe

2684-451: The ermine fur). This standard is mainly used for the wives of British princes, or members of the royal family who have not yet been granted their own arms. Diana, Princess of Wales , and, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester , had this standard draped over their coffins at their funerals. Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall , also enjoyed the right to use this version of the Royal Standard although she rarely exercised it on her own. She received

2745-615: The fact that many share official London Residences , as is the case at Kensington Palace ). Family members also do not use their standards on road vehicles, either privately or during official engagements (when more discreet cars are used, such as Jaguar ) or state occasions (when the Liveried cars of the Royal Mews are used), this seems reserved for the Queen only, although when Prince Philip traveled alone at state occasions, his standard flew from

2806-651: The flag is flown from the main mast of the ship and is lowered upon his/her departure. The flag is also draped over the coffin of the Monarch upon his/her death. In some situations, personal standards are displayed within the UK, such as within St Giles' Cathedral , Edinburgh (site of the Chapel of the Order of the Thistle ), and St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle home of Banners of Knights of

2867-536: The form of harp used to represent Ireland), dates to the reign of Queen Victoria . Earlier Royal Standards of the United Kingdom incorporated the Arms of Hanover and of the Kingdom of France , representing the title of Elector (later King ) of Hanover and the theoretical claim to the throne of France , a claim dropped in 1800 ). The Hanoverian association terminated in 1837 with the accession of Queen Victoria who, being

2928-531: The harp remains an issue for some in Ireland. In 1937 Éamon de Valera , then Taoiseach , asked Dominions Secretary Malcolm MacDonald if the harp quarter could be removed from the Royal Standard on the grounds that the Irish people had not given their consent to the Irish emblem being included. The request was denied, and the harp remains. The modern Royal Standard of the United Kingdom, apart from minor changes (notably to

2989-425: The heraldic distinction between lions and leopards is often ambiguous and in some cases may be controversial (as in the case of the royal arms of England , discussed below). Part of the confusion arises from international differences in translation or in the defining characteristics of each, particularly in charges that show some characteristics of each. English herald Arthur Charles Fox-Davies asserted in 1909 that

3050-493: The lion and the rear of the vessel. This was originally the result of the joining of the lions or of the royal arms of England with the ships argent of the arms of the townships of the Ports. Over time, the conjoined figure came to be considered as a single heraldic charge in itself, and granted as such as new charges. Winged lions are depicted in arms as both passant and, more commonly, sejant, and also appear as supporters. This figure

3111-410: The lion's position in further detail. Each coat of arms has a right and left (i.e. dexter and sinister ) side - with respect to the person carrying the shield - so the left side of the shield as drawn on the page (thus the right side to the shield bearer) is called the dexter side. The lion's head is normally seen in agreement with the overall position, facing dexter (left) unless otherwise stated. If

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3172-479: The lions of England were generally termed leopards until the end of the 14th century, including in the roll of arms of Henry III of England , and in a statute of Edward I of England , dating to 1300, which made reference to " signée de une teste de leopart —marked with the King's lion." In English Heraldry (1867), Boutell explained: Only when he was in this rampant attitude did the early Heralds consider any Lion to be

3233-566: The medieval bestiaries . At the time, few Europeans had a chance to encounter actual lions, so that painters had to rely on traditional depictions and had no actual animals as models. The lion as a heraldic charge is present from the very earliest development of heraldry in the 12th century. One of the earliest known examples of armory as it subsequently came to be practiced can be seen on the tomb of Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou , who died in 1151. An enamel, probably commissioned by Geoffrey's widow between 1155 and 1160, depicts him carrying

3294-548: The monarch at a royal residence , and is also used on official vehicles, primarily the Bentley State Limousine , but also on other road vehicles at home or abroad, often a Range Rover . The Royal Standard is also flown from aircraft and water vessels , including HMY Britannia and MV Spirit of Chartwell during the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant . When the monarch is aboard a British naval ship,

3355-477: The roof of his car, as seen with the funerals of Diana, Princess of Wales (when the Queen Mother also flew her personal standard from her car) and that of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother , also, when a visiting Head of State on a state visit uses a car from the Royal Mews, his/her own flag is displayed. That said, when abroad, the standards of members of the family may well be flown: examples include Prince Charles,

3416-486: The royal family also use this Scottish version when in Scotland, with the only exceptions to this protocol being the consort of a queen regnant and the heir apparent , the Duke of Rothesay , each of whom has his own individual standard. The Royal Standard of the United Kingdom used in Scotland differs from the current, traditional Royal Standard of Scotland in that the latter portrays the Lion Rampant in its entirety. As

3477-560: The royal family have personal standards, listed according to the line of succession: Queens consort of the British monarch are granted arms based on the Royal Standard and their own personal arms from before their marriage, or the arms of their family. In Scotland, a queen consort will use the Scottish version of the Royal Standard. They do not have different standards for the Commonwealth realms that have their own Royal Standards. Consorts of

3538-593: The three gold lions passant guardant of England, which occur only in the second quadrant. The third quadrant, displaying the gold harp of Ireland, remains unaltered from that version used throughout the remainder of the United Kingdom and overseas. The Scottish version of the Royal Standard was used to cover the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II during the procession on the Royal Mile from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St. Giles' Cathedral on 12 September 2022. Other members of

3599-536: The throne, is believed to have been the first to have borne the arms of three lions passant-guardant, still the arms of England, having earlier used two lions rampant combatant, which arms may also have belonged to his father. Richard is also credited with having originated the English crest of a lion statant (now statant-guardant). Apart from the lions of the Plantagenet (England and Normandy) coat of arms, 12th-century examples of lions used as heraldic charges include

3660-620: The usage, retained until late in the 14th century, which assigned to the Lions of the Royal Shield of England the name of "leopards". They were so called, not by the enemies of England for derision and insult, as some persons, in their ignorance of early Heraldry, have been pleased both to imagine and to assert; but the English Kings and Princes, who well knew their "Lions" to be Lions, in blazon styled them "leopards", because they also knew that Lions in

3721-482: Was created in 1962 at the suggestion of Prince Philip . Used in Scotland, this standard was created in 1974 at the suggestion of then Prince Charles . Used in Scotland, this is the ancient banner of the heir apparent to the King of Scots . Used in Cornwall, this is the ancient banner of the Duke of Cornwall. Historic Other members of the royal family have personal standards of their own. These are variants of

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