Till the time of Henry IV., the Crown, the symbol of the Sovereignty of England, was a golden circlet richly jewelled, and heightened with conventional strawberry-leaves: fine examples are represented in the effigies of Henry III., John, and Edward II.
Henry IV., as shown by his splendid effigy at Canterbury, introduced fleurs de lys, alternating with the leaves.
From the time of Henry V., the circlet has been heightened by crosses pattées and fleurs de lys alternating, four of each, and without any leaves. Henry V. also first arched the circlet with jewelled bands, which at their intersection he surmounted with a mound and cross.
No. 234.— Crown of
H.M., The King.
The arched Crown of Henry V. has four half-arches,—that is, it is arched over twice: Henry VI. and Charles I. arched their crown three times: all the other Sovereigns have had two complete arches only, and the Crown still retains these two arches intersecting at right angles, as in No. 234. At different periods, while the design of the Crown has remained unchanged, the contour of the arches, and the artistic treatment of the ornamentation have undergone various modifications.
The Royal Banners, or Standards, are charged with the bearings of the Royal Shield of Arms for the time being.
The Armorial Insignia of H.R.H. the late Prince Consort. The Shield was—Quarterly, 1 and 4,—The Royal Arms of the late Queen, as in [No. 416], but differenced with a silver label of three points charged on the central point with a cross of St. George: 2 and 3,—Saxony, [No. 225]. This Shield was encircled with the Garter of the Order, and ensigned with the Prince’s own Coronet, shown in [No. 441].
The Crest was the Royal Crest of England, [No. 431], the lion having the same label that differences the Shield adjusted about his neck as a collar, and being crowned with the coronet, vide No. 441, in place of the Imperial Crown.