Royal coat of arms in Scotland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom for use in Scotland
Versions
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom used outside Scotland
Version used by the Government
Version used by the Government in Scotland
Armiger	Elizabeth II in Right of the United Kingdom
Adopted	1837
Crest	A lion gules, royally crowned and standing on the Scottish crown;
Blazon	Quarterly: 1 and 4 Scotland, 2 England, 3 Ireland; quarters for England and Scotland are exchanged in England.
Supporters	A silver unicorn and a golden lion each supporting a national flag
Compartment	Thistles
Motto	Latin: Nemo me impune lacessit
Order(s)	Order of the Thistle
Use	On all Acts of the Scottish Parliament; various government departments; adapted for the reverse of some coins of the pound sterling

The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom is a special symbol for the British monarch, who is currently Queen Elizabeth II. It's like an official emblem that represents the Queen when she acts as the leader of the United Kingdom. Sometimes, it's called her 'Arms of Dominion'.

Other members of the Royal Family use slightly different versions of this coat of arms. The British Government also uses it to represent the country and its administration. There's even a special version of the Royal Arms used in Scotland. The Scotland Office uses a slightly different one too.

What's on the Royal Shield?

The main part of the coat of arms is a shield. This shield is divided into four sections, like a cross.

• In the first and fourth sections, you'll see three golden lions walking forward on a red background. These lions represent England.
• The second section shows a red lion standing on its hind legs on a golden background. It's surrounded by a special border with fleur-de-lis symbols. This part represents Scotland.
• The third section has a golden harp on a blue background. This harp is a symbol for Ireland.

Different Versions of the Royal Arms

The Royal Coat of Arms has a few different looks depending on who is using it and where.

Government Use

The version used by the British Government is a bit simpler. It doesn't include the helmet or the lion that usually sits on top of the shield.

Scottish Version

In Scotland, the Queen uses a special version of the Royal Arms. This version is unique because it swaps the positions of the English and Scottish symbols on the shield. So, the Scottish lion appears in the first and fourth sections, and the English lions are in the second.

The version used by the government in Scotland also has some differences. For example, it doesn't include the lion that sits on top of the shield, and it uses a different motto.

Images for kids

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  Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom for use in Scotland

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  Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom used outside Scotland

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  Version used by the Government

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  Version used by the Government in Scotland