The Royal Arms of England
Preserved but no longer current.
The three lions passant gardant were introduced by Richard Cceur de Lion after his return from the third Crusade; the lion rampant in the second quarter is from the arms of Scotland, it having first been used in the reign of Alexander H (1214-49); and the harp in the fourth quarter represents Ireland; it was assigned to Ireland in the time of Henry VIII; before that time her device was three crowns.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The Royal Arms of England” mean?
The three lions passant gardant were introduced by Richard Cceur de Lion after his return from the third Crusade; the lion rampant in the second quarter is from the arms of Scotland, it having first been used in the reign of Alexander H (1214-49); and the harp in the fourth quarter represents Ireland; it was assigned to Ireland in the time of Henry VIII; before that time her device was three crowns.
Is “The Royal Arms of England” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.