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The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British Monarch , currently Queen Elizabeth II . These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch, and are officially known as her '''Arms of Dominion'''. Variants of the Royal Arms are used by other members of the Royal Family ; and by the British Government in connection with the administration and government of the country. In Scotland , the Queen has a separate version of the Royal Arms, a variant of which is used by the Scottish Executive . FEATURES The Shield is quartered, depicting in the first and fourth quarters the three lions passant guardant of England ; in the second, the rampant lion and double tressure Fleury-counter-fleury of Scotland ; and in the third, a Harp for Ireland . The Crest is a lion statant guardant wearing the imperial crown, itself on another representation of that crown. The dexter Supporter is a likewise crowned lion, symbolizing England ; the sinister, a Unicorn , symbolizing Scotland . According to legend a free unicorn was considered a very dangerous beast; therefore the British heraldic unicorn is chained. The coat features both the Motto of British monarchs '' Dieu Et Mon Droit '' (God and my right) and the motto of the Order Of The Garter , ''Honi soit qui mal y pense'' (Shamed be he who thinks ill of it) on a representation of the Garter behind the shield. The official heraldic description of the Royal Arms is as follows: Quarterly, first and fourth Gules three lions passant gardant in pale Or (for England) second quarter Or a lion rampant within a double tressure flory-counter-flory Gules (for Scotland) third quarter Azure a harp Or stringed Argent (for Ireland) the whole surrounded by the Garter for a Crest upon the royal helm the imperial crown Proper thereon a lion statant gardant Or imperially crowned Proper for Supporters dexter a lion rampant gardant Or crowned as the crest sinister, a unicorn Argent, armed, crined, and unguled Proper gorged with a coronet composed of crosses patée and fleurs de lis a chain affixed thereto passing between the forelegs and reflexed over the back also Or. Motto. 'Dieu et mon Droit' in the compartment below the shield, with the Union rose, shamrock, and thistle engrafted on the same stem. SCOTLAND The Queen has a separate version of her arms for use in Scotland, which gives the Scottish elements of her arms pride of place The Shield is quartered, depicting in the first and fourth quarters the lion ''rampant'' and double tressure fleury-counter-fleury of Scotland; in the second, the three lions ''passant guardant'' of England; and in the third, the harp of Ireland. The Crest is a red lion sitting on a crown, holding a sword and a sceptre. This was the crest used in the Royal Arms Of The Kingdom Of Scotland . The supporters change sides, and both are crowned. The Dexter Supporter is a crowned unicorn, symbolising Scotland. The Sinister supporter is a crowned lion, symbolising England. The coat features both the motto '' Nemo Me Impune Lacessit '' (No-one wounds (touches) me with impunity) and the Order Of The Thistle around the shield. USES The Royal Arms as shown above can only be used by the Queen. They also appear in court rooms, recognising the monarch as the Font Of Justice in the UK. The Queen also awards Royal Warrant s to various businesses that supply the Royal Household. This allows the business to display the Royal Arms on their packaging and stationary. A banner of the arms, the Royal Standard is flown from the Royal Palaces when the Queen is in residence; and from public buildings only when the Queen is present. HISTORY The current Royal Arms are a combination of the arms of the Kingdoms that make up the United Kingdom, and can be traced back to the first arms of the Kings of England and Scotland. Various alterations occurred over the years as the arms of other realms acquired or claimed by the Kings were added to the Royal Arms. The table below tracks the changes in the Royal Arms from the original arms of King Henry II of England, and King William I of Scotland.
The Irish royal crest ''On a torse azure and or, a castle triple-towered of the second, from the portal thereof a hart springing argent attired and hooved or'' is rarely if ever seen on the arms of the United Kingdom, as unlike the Act Of Union 1707 with Scotland, the Act Of Union 1800 with Ireland did not provide for a separate Irish version of the royal arms. There is also no representation for Wales in the Royal Arms, as Wales was never a separate Kingdom . However the Dragon was used as a supporter on the Royal Arms by the Tudor Kings And Queens , reflecting that dynasty's Welsh origins. EXTERNAL LINKS
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