Coat of arms of England

The coat of arms of England is the coat of arms historically used as arms of dominion by the monarchs of the Kingdom of England, and now used to symbolise England generally, but not officially. The arms were adopted c.1200 by the Plantagenet kings and continued to be used by successive English and British monarchs; they are currently quartered with the arms of Scotland and Ireland in the coat of arms of the United Kingdom. Historically they were also quartered with the arms of France, representing the English claim to the French throne, and Hanover.

Coat of arms of England
Versions
Banner of arms, which served as royal banner
ArmigerMonarchs of England
AdoptedLate 12th century
ShieldGules, three lions passant guardant in pale or armed and langued azure
SupportersVarious
MottoDieu et mon droit
Order(s)Order of the Garter
Use
  • First and fourth quarters of current royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom; previously second and third quarters of royal arms of England adopted by Edward III of England, until claim on Kingdom of France relinquished
  • Unofficial symbol of the nation of England
  • (with altered tinctures) emblem of various English national sports teams

The arms continue to be used in heraldry to represent England, for example in the arms of Canada, although they rarely appear in isolation in royal or government contexts. They have also been adapted by English sporting bodies, forming the basis of the coat of arms of the Football Association, the logo of the England and Wales Cricket Board, England Hockey and England Boxing.

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