Impaling the Royal Arms
Posted: 21 May 2020, 13:05
For centuries, it's been the custom for the heads of armigerous organisations to impale their personal arms with those of their organisations. They include bishops and archbishops; heralds, pursuivants and kings of arms; university principals; -- and at least one monarch.
The Order of the Garter, which is the most senior English order of chivalry, has its own coat of arms, namely Argent, a cross Gules. As sovereign head of the Order, the monarch impales the arms of the Order with his/her Royal Arms, the arms of the Order taking precedence. Here are three examples, from different periods :
A 15th- or 16th-century example from the Kingdom of England.
A 17th-century (Stuart period) example from the Kingdom of Great Britain.
A 20th-/21st-century example, i.e. Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
The Order of the Garter, which is the most senior English order of chivalry, has its own coat of arms, namely Argent, a cross Gules. As sovereign head of the Order, the monarch impales the arms of the Order with his/her Royal Arms, the arms of the Order taking precedence. Here are three examples, from different periods :
A 15th- or 16th-century example from the Kingdom of England.
A 17th-century (Stuart period) example from the Kingdom of Great Britain.
A 20th-/21st-century example, i.e. Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.