Royal badges of England.

Stefan Georgeta
15 min readApr 21, 2022

The royal badges of England, in heraldry, are the heraldic insignia worn by the monarchs of the United Kingdom of England.
Heraldic badges, like arms and crests, are distinctive to a person or family. The badge, unlike them, is not an essential part of a coat of arms, however it can be placed alongside them. Badges are full and self-contained and can be displayed on their own. Furthermore, unlike the arms and crest, which are personal devices that can only be worn by the owner, the badge, in the form of a cognizance or livery badge, could be easily worn by retainers and adherents.To demonstrate ownership or patronage, badges are displayed on standards and personal goods, as well as on private and public buildings.Since the beginnings of English heraldry, royal badges have been used. They are always basic devices, and many instances have been accepted and passed down down the generations. These can be found in the glass and fabric of royal palaces and memorial chapels, as well as in the homes of people who have benefited from or will benefit from royal patronage in the future.

A sprig of common broom is claimed to have been worn by Geoffrey of Anjou in his cap as the first royal heraldic symbol. Plantegenest, or broom plant, gained Geoffrey’s moniker, “Plantagenet.” The heraldic emblem also became the name of the dynasty he founded, which would rule England for more than 300 years.This insignia was worn by the Plantagenet kings, who would sometimes combine it with other more personal items. The escarbuncle and the ‘planta genista’ were both…

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