Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
| Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom | |
|---|---|
| Versions | |
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom for use in Scotland | |
Version used by the Government | |
Version used by the Government in Scotland | |
| Details | |
| Armiger | Charles III in Right of the United Kingdom |
| Adopted | 1837 |
| Crest | A golden lion, royally crowned and standing on a royal crown; gold and ermine mantling |
| Escutcheon | Quarterly: 1 and 4 England, 2 Scotland, 3 Ireland; quarters for England and Scotland are exchanged in Scotland. |
| Supporters | A golden lion and a silver unicorn |
| Compartment | Tudor rose, Shamrock, and Thistle |
| Motto | French: Dieu et mon droit |
| Orders | Order of the Garter |
| Earlier versions | see below |
| Use | On all Acts of Parliament; the cover of all UK passports; various government departments; adapted for the reverse of coins of the pound sterling (2008) |
The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Charles III. These arms are used by the King in his official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as his Arms of Dominion. Different versions 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 King has a separate version of the Royal Arms, a variant of which is used by the Scotland Office.
The shield is quartered, depicting in the first and fourth quarters the three passant guardant lions 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 version used by the government does not have the helmet or lion, the version used by the government in Scotland does not have the lion or "In Defens" motto.