Great Seal of the Realm
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English
_Obverse.png){kind=link}
_Reverse.png){kind=link}
The Great Seal of the Realm is a seal that is used in the United Kingdom to symbolise the sovereign's approval of state documents. It is also known as the Great Seal of the United Kingdom (known prior to the Treaty of Union of 1707 as the Great Seal of England; and from then until the Union of 1801 as the Great Seal of Great Britain). To make it, sealing wax is melted in a metal mould or matrix and impressed into a wax figure that is attached by cord or ribbon to documents that the monarch wishes to seal officially. The formal keeper of the seal is the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain.
Scotland has had its own great seal since the 14th century. The Acts of Union 1707, joining the kingdoms of Scotland and England, provided for the use of a single Great Seal for the new Kingdom of Great Britain.<ref>Article XXIV</ref> However, it also provided for the continued use of a separate Scottish seal to be used there, and this seal continues to be called the Great Seal of Scotland and used by the monarch to sign letters patent for bills of the Scottish Parliament. Similarly, a separate Great Seal of Ireland, which had been used in Ireland since the 13th century, continued in use after the union of 1801, until the secession of the Irish Free State, after which a new Great Seal of Northern Ireland was created for use in Northern Ireland. A Welsh Seal was introduced in 2011.
HistoryEdit
At some time before the year 1066 Edward the Confessor began to use a "Great Seal", which created a casting in wax of his own face, to signify that a document carried the force of his will. With some exceptions, each subsequent monarch up to 1603, when the king of Scotland succeeded to the throne of England, chose his or her own design for the Great Seal.
Levina Teerlinc is believed to have designed the seal of Queen Mary I, and also the earliest seal used by her successor Elizabeth I, in the 1540s.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Template:Anchor When opening Parliament on 3 September 1654, the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell was escorted by the three "Commissioners of the Great Seal of the Commonwealth of England", who were Whitelock, Lisle, and Widdrington. This Seal was inscribed with "The Great Seal of England, 1648", displaying a map of England, Ireland, Jersey, and Guernsey on one side, with the Arms of England and Ireland. On the other side was shown the interior of the House of Commons, the Speaker in his chair, with the inscription, "In the first year of Freedom, by God's blessing restored, 1648." In 1655, Cromwell appointed three Commissioners of the Great Seal of Ireland, Richard Pepys, Chief Justice of the Upper Bench, Sir Gerard Lowther, Chief Justice of the Common Bench; and Miles Corbet, Chief Baron of the Exchequer. But they held the seal only until 1656, when Cromwell nominated William Steele, Chief Baron of the Court of Exchequer in England, Lord Chancellor of Ireland.<ref>James Roderick O'Flanagan, The lives of the Lord Chancellors and Keepers of the Great Seal of Ireland, from the earliest times to the reign of Queen Victoria, (1870), Template:Usurped</ref>
In 1688, while attempting to flee to France during the Glorious Revolution, James II allegedly attempted to destroy his Great Seal by throwing it into the River Thames, in the hope that the machinery of government would cease to function. James's successors, William III and Mary II, used the same seal matrix in their new Great Seal. This may have been a deliberate choice, in order to imply the continuity of government. A new obverse was created, but the reverse was crudely adapted by inserting a female figure beside the male figure. When Mary died, the obverse returned to the design used by James II, while the female figure was deleted from the reverse. Thus, William III used a seal that was identical to James II's, except for changes to the legend and coat of arms.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
The 1922 secession from the United Kingdom of the Irish Free State impelled a change in the royal style, which was agreed at the 1926 Imperial Conference and effected by the Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act 1927, after which a new Great Seal was struck with the new style.<ref>Template:Multiref</ref> The 1927 act referred to the "Great Seal of the Realm" as opposed to the previously usual "Great Seal of the United Kingdom" on the basis that the latter designation was too narrow, ignoring the use of the seal in relation to other Dominions of the British Commonwealth.<ref>Hansard HC Deb 09 March 1927 vol 203 c1264</ref> Edward VIII, who abdicated only a few months after succeeding to the throne, never selected a design for his own seal and continued to use that of his predecessor, George V. Only one matrix of the Great Seal exists at a time, and since the wax used for the Great Seal has a high melting point, the silver plates that cast the seal eventually wear out. The longer-lived British monarchs have had several Great Seals during their reigns, and Queen Victoria had to select four different Great Seal designs during her sixty-three years on the throne.<ref name="victoria">Template:Cite news</ref>
The last seal matrix of Elizabeth II was authorised by the Privy Council in July 2001.<ref name="current">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was designed by James Butler and replaced that of 1953, designed by Gilbert Ledward. The obverse shows the middle-aged Elizabeth II enthroned and robed, holding in her right hand a sceptre and in her left the orb. The circumscription is an abbreviated form of the royal titles in Template:Langx.<ref>In full: {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}. This is the official English form of the royal title is slightly different: Elizabeth II by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.</ref> On the reverse are the full royal arms, including crest, mantling and supporters. This is the first time that the royal arms have provided the main design for one side of the English or British Great Seal. The obverse of the 1953 version depicted the Queen on horseback, dressed in uniform and riding sidesaddle, as she used to attend the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony for many years until the late 1980s. The seal's diameter is Template:Convert, and the combined weight of both sides of the seal matrix exceeds Template:Convert. Charles III, as of 2023, uses the seal of his mother and predecessor, having directed by Order in Council on 10 September 2022, "that the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain is authorised to make use of the Great Seal for sealing all things whatsoever that pass the Great Seal until another Great Seal be prepared and authorised by His Majesty".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In May 2025, Charles III’s Great Seal of the Realm was unveiled.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
DesignEdit
The Great Seal is two-sided, with separate matrices for the obverse and reverse, whose respective imprints are termed the seal and counterseal.Template:Sfn The (obverse) seal contains an image of the monarch enthroned, encircled with the style of the monarch, usually in Latin.Template:Sfn The counterseal usually contains an image of the monarch on horseback, encircled with either the same style of the monarch or a variant.Template:Sfn Counterseals having non-equestrian images were that of Edward the Confessor (a variant of the seal imageTemplate:Sfn); the second of Anne (BritanniaTemplate:Sfn); the first of George V (the king as an Admiral of the Fleet<ref name="rmint1911p17"/>); and the second of Elizabeth II and that of Charles III (the royal arms<ref name="ButlerSeal"/>).
The Wafer Seal is single-sided embossing seal whose design is a shallow-relief copy of the obverse side of the Great Seal.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
UsageEdit
The Great Seal is attached to the official documents of state that require the authorisation of the monarch to implement the advice of His Majesty's Government.
Under today's usage of the Great Seal, seals of dark green wax are affixed to letters patent elevating individuals to the peerage, blue seals authorise actions relating to the royal family, and scarlet seals appoint bishops and implement various other affairs of state. In some cases the seal is replaced by a wafer version,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> a smaller representation of the obverse of the Great Seal embossed on coloured paper attached to the document being sealed. This simpler version is used for royal proclamations, letters patent granting royal assent to legislation, writs of summons to Parliament, licences for the election of bishops, commissions of the peace, and many other documents.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It formerly constituted treason to forge the Great Seal.Template:Sfn
The Great Seal of the Realm is in the custody of and is administered by the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal. This office has been held jointly with that of Lord Chancellor since 1761. The current Lord Chancellor is Shabana Mahmood. The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 reiterates that the Lord Chancellor continues to be the custodian of the Great Seal.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Though, in the past, the Great Seal has been delivered to and remained in the custody of the Sovereign when it has been used to seal instruments that related to or granted gifts or emoluments to the Lord Chancellor.Template:Sfn
The Clerk of the Crown in Chancery, who is also Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, heads His Majesty's Crown Office, and is responsible for the affixing of the Great Seal. They are assisted by the Deputy Clerk of the Crown. Day-to-day custody is entrusted to the Clerk of the Chamber, and subordinate staff include a Sealer and two Scribes to His Majesty's Crown Office.
Template:Infobox UK legislation Section 2 of the Template:Visible anchor (47 & 48 Vict. c. 30) governs the use of the Great Seal of the Realm:
Inscriptions on the Great SealEdit
The Great Seal for each successive monarch is inscribed with the monarch's style (in Latin) on both sides of the seal. Some of those used in the past are shown below.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Where the inscriptions on both sides of the seal are identical, only one is given. Where they are the same except for the use of abbreviations, the one with the fuller forms is given. Where they are different, they are shown separated by a slash.
Kingdom of EnglandEdit
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- Edward the Confessor. SIGILLVM EADVVARDI ANGLORVM BASILEI
- Seal of Edward, Sovereign of the English.
- William I. HOC NORMANNORVM WILLELMVM NOSCE PATRONVM SI / HOC ANGLIS REGEM SIGNO FATEARIS EVNDEM
- Know you this, William Patron of the Normans / By this sign recognise him King of the English
- William II. WILLELMVS DEI GRATIA REX ANGLORVM
- William, by the grace of God, King of the English.
- Henry I. HENRICVS DEI GRATIA REX ANGLORVM / HENRICVS DEI GRATIA DVX NORMANNORVM
- Henry, by the grace of God, King of the English / Henry, by the grace of God, Duke of the Normans.
- Stephen. STEPHANVS DEI GRATIA REX ANGLORVM
- Stephen, by the grace of God, King of the English.
- Henry II. HENRICVS DEI GRATIA REX ANGLORVM / HENR[ICVS] DEI GRA[TIA] DVX NORMANNORVM ET AQUIT[ANORVM] ET COM[ES] ANDEG[AVORVM]
- Henry, by the grace of God, King of the English / Henry, by the grace of God, Duke of the Normans and of the Aquitanians and Count of the Angevins.
- Richard I. RICARDVS DEI GRATIA REX ANGLORVM / RICARDVS DEI GRATIA DVX NORMANNORVM ET AQUITANORVM ET COMES ANDEGAVORVM
- Richard, by the grace of God, King of the English / Richard, by the grace of God, Duke of the Normans and of the Aquitanians and Count of the Angevins.
- John. IOHANNES DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE ET DOMINVS HIBERNIE / IOH[ANNE]S DVX NORMANNIE ET AQUITANIE COMES ANDEGAVIE
- John, by the grace of God, King of England and Lord of Ireland / John, Duke of Normandy and of Aquitaine, Count of Anjou.
- Henry III. HENRICVS DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE DOMINVS HIBERNIE DVX AQUITANIE
- Henry, by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Aquitaine.
- Edward I. EDWARDVS DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE DOMINVS HYBERNIE DVX AQUITANIE
- Edward, by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Aquitaine.
- Edward II. EDWARDVS DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE DOMINVS HYBERNIE DVX AQUITANIE
- Edward, by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Aquitaine.
- Edward III. EDWARDVS DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE D[OMI]N[V]S HIBERNIE ET AQUITANIE
- Edward, by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland and of Aquitaine.
- Richard II. RICARDVS DEI GRACIA REX FRANCIE ET ANGLIE ET D[OMI]N[V]S HIBERNIE
- Richard, by the grace of God, King of France and England and Lord of Ireland.
- Henry IV. HENRICVS DEI GRACIA REX FRANCIE ET ANGLIE ET D[OMI]N[V]S HIBERNIE
- Henry, by the grace of God, King of France and England and Lord of Ireland.
- Henry V. HENRICVS DEI GRACIA REX FRANCIE ET ANGLIE ET D[OMI]N[V]S HIBERNIE / HENRICVS DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE ET FRANCIE ET DOMINUS HIBERNIE
- Henry, by the grace of God, King of France and England and Lord of Ireland / Henry, by the grace of God, King of England and France and Lord of Ireland.
- Henry VI. HENRICVS DEI GRACIA FRANCORVM ET ANGLIE REX
- Henry, by the grace of God, of the French and of England, King.
- Edward IV. EDWARDVS DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE & FRANCIE ET DOMINVS HIBERNIE
- Edward, by the grace of God, King of England and France and Lord of Ireland.
- Richard III. RICARDVS DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE ET FRANCIE ET DOMINVS HIBERNIE
- Richard, by the grace of God, King of England and France and Lord of Ireland.
- Henry VII. HENRICVS DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE ET FRANCIE ET DOMINVS HIBERNIE
- Henry, by the grace of God, King of England and France and Lord of Ireland.
- Henry VIII. HENRICVS OCTAV[V]S DEI GRATIA ANGLIE ET FRANCIE ET HIBERNIE REX FIDEI DEFE[N]SOR ET [IN] TER[R]A ECCLESIA[E] A[N]GLICANE ET HIBERNICE SVPREM[VM] CA[PVT]
- Henry the Eighth, by the grace of God, of England and France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, and on Earth, of the English and Irish Church, Supreme Head.
- Edward VI. ... EDWARDI SEXTI DEI GRATIA ANGLIE FRANCIE / ET HIBERNIE REX FIDEI DEFE[N]SOR ET IN TERRA ECCLESIE ANGLICANE ET HIBERNICE SVPREMVM CAPVT
- ... of Edward the Sixth, by the grace of God of England, France / and of Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, and on Earth, of the English and Irish Church, Supreme Head.
- Mary I. MARIA D[EI] G[RATIA] ANGLIE FRANCIE ET HIBERNIE REGINA EIVS NOMINIS PRIMA FIDEI DEFENSOR
- Mary, by the grace of God, of England, France and Ireland, Queen, first of that name, Defender of the Faith.
- Philip and Mary I. PHILIP ET MARIA D G REX ET REGINA ANGL HISPANIAR FRANC VTRIVSQ SICILE IERVSALEM ET HIB FIDEI DEFENSOR<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Philip and Mary by the grace of God King and Queen of England, the Spains, France, both Sicilies, Jerusalem and Ireland, Defender of the Faith
- Elizabeth I. ELIZABETHA DEI GRACIA ANGLIE FRANCIE ET HIBERNIE REGINA FIDEI DEFENSOR
- Elizabeth, by the grace of God, of England, France and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith.
Union of the CrownsEdit
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| Sovereign | Period | Latin inscriptions | Translations |
|---|---|---|---|
| James VI and ITemplate:Sfn | 1st seal
19 July 1603–1605 2nd seal 1605–1625 |
lang}} (seal and counterseal) | James, by the grace of God of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith. |
| Charles ITemplate:Sfn | 1st seal
1625–1627 |
lang}} | Charles, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}. |
| lang}} (counterseal) | |||
| 2nd seal
1627–1640 |
lang}} | Charles, by the grace of God of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, 1627. | |
| lang}}(counterseal) | Charles, by the grace of God of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith. | ||
| 3rd seal
1640 – May 1646 |
lang}} | Charles, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, 1640. | |
| lang}} (counterseal) | |||
| 4th seal
30 November 1643–7 February 1649 |
lang}} | Charles, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, 1643. | |
| lang}} (counterseal) |
InterregnumEdit
| Great Seal | Period | Inscriptions | Translations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CommonwealthTemplate:Sfn | 1st seal
8 February 1649–26 March 1651 |
Template:Smallcaps | ||
| Template:Smallcaps (counterseal) | ||||
| File:P312 Great Seal of the Commonwealth.jpg | 2nd seal
26 March 1651–Template:Circa (1st period) 14 May 1659–28 May 1660 (2nd period) |
Template:Smallcaps | ||
| Template:Smallcaps (counterseal) | ||||
| Oliver CromwellTemplate:Sfn | 1st seal
1655–1657
1657–1659 |
lang}} | lang}}. | |
| lang}} (counterseal) | lang}}, Protector. | |||
| Richard CromwellTemplate:Sfn | 1658–14 May 1659 | lang}} | lang}}. | |
| lang}} (counterseal) | lang}}, Protector. | |||
RestorationEdit
| Sovereign | Great Seal | Period | Latin inscriptions | Translations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles IITemplate:Sfn | 1st seal
1649–1651 |
unknown | ||
| 2nd seal
1653–17 June 1663 |
lang}} | Charles II, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, 1653. | ||
| lang}} (counterseal) | ||||
| 3rd seal
17 June 1663–19 April 1672 |
lang}} | Charles II, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith. | ||
| lang}} (counterseal) | ||||
| 4th seal
19 April 1672–21 October 1685 |
lang}} | Charles the Second, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith. | ||
| lang}} (counterseal) | ||||
| James VII and IITemplate:Sfn | File:P510 Great Seal of James II.jpg | 21 October 1685–10 December 1688 | lang}} | James the Second, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}. |
| lang}} (counterseal) | ||||
| William III and Mary IITemplate:Sfn | File:P12 Great Seal of William and Mary.jpg | 1689–1695 | lang}} | William III and Mary II, by the grace of God of England, France, and Ireland King and Queen, Defenders of the Faith, {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}. |
| lang}} (counterseal) | ||||
| William IIITemplate:Sfn | 1695–11 November 1702 | lang}} | William III, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}. | |
| lang}} (counterseal) | ||||
| AnneTemplate:Sfn | File:P174 Great Seal of Queen Anne.jpg | 1st seal
11 November 1702–1707 |
lang}} | Anne, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith, {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}. |
| lang}} (counterseal) | ||||
Kingdom of Great BritainEdit
| Sovereign | Great Seal | Period | Latin inscriptions | Translations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AnneTemplate:Sfn | File:P240 Great Seal of Queen Anne, after the Union of England and Scotland.jpg | 2nd seal
1707–17 June 1715 |
lang}} | lang}}. |
| lang}} (counterseal) | Britannia, in the sixth year of Queen Anne. | |||
| George ITemplate:Sfn | File:P336 Great Seal of George I.jpg | 17 June 1715–12 June 1728 | lang}} | George, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, ... |
| lang}} (counterseal) | lang}}. | |||
| George IITemplate:Sfn | File:P420 Great Seal of George II.jpg | 12 June 1728–3 August 1764 | lang}} | George II, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, ... |
| lang}} (counterseal) | lang}}. | |||
| George IIITemplate:Sfn | 1st seal
3 August 1764–23 March 1784 |
lang}} | George III, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, ... | |
| lang}} (counterseal) | lang}}. | |||
| 2nd seal
25 March 1784–15 April 1785 |
lang}} | George III, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, ... | ||
| lang}} (counterseal) | lang}}. | |||
| 3rd seal
15 April 1785–1 January 1801 |
lang}} | George III, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, of Brunswick and Lüneburg Duke, of the Holy Roman Empire Arch-treasurer and Prince-Elector, {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}. | ||
| lang}} (counterseal) |
United KingdomEdit
| Sovereign | Period | Latin inscriptions | Translations | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George IIITemplate:Sfn | 4th seal
1 January 1801–1 August 1815 |
lang}} | George III, by the grace of God of the Britains King, Defender of the Faith, of Brunswick and Lüneburg Duke, of the Holy Roman Empire Arch-treasurer and Prince-Elector, {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}. | |||
| lang}} (counterseal) | ||||||
| 5th seal
1 August 1815–17 September 1821 |
lang}} | George the Third, by the grace of God of the Britains King, Defender of the Faith. | ||||
| lang}} (counterseal) | and, on Earth, of the Anglican and Hibernican Church the Supreme Head. | |||||
| George IVTemplate:Sfn | 17 September 1821–31 August 1831 | lang}} | George the Fourth, by the grace of God of the Britains King, Defender of the Faith. | |||
| William IVTemplate:Sfn | 31 August 1831–18 July 1838 | lang}} | William the Fourth, by the grace of God of the Britains King, Defender of the Faith. | |||
| VictoriaTemplate:Sfn<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
1st seal
18 July 1838–23 January 1860 |
{{#invoke:Lang|lang}} | Victoria, by the grace of God of the Britains Queen, Defender of the Faith. | ||
| 2nd seal
23 January 1860–14 August 1878 | ||||||
| 3rd seal
14 August 1878–1899 | ||||||
| 4th seal
1899–1904 |
lang}} | Victoria, by the grace of God of the Britains Queen, Defender of the Faith; of India, Empress. | ||||
| Edward VII<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
1904–13 February 1912 | lang}} | Edward VII, by the grace of God of the Britains and of the lands across the sea which are in the British Dominion King, Defender of the Faith; of India, Emperor. | ||
| George V<ref name="rmint1911p17">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
1st seal
13 February 1912–28 March 1930 |
lang}} | George V, by the grace of God of the Britains and of the lands across the sea which are in the British Dominion King, Defender of the Faith; of India, Emperor. | |
| 2nd seal
28 March 1930–28 February 1938 |
lang}} | George V, by the grace of God of Great Britain, Ireland, and the Lands across the sea which are in the British Dominion King, Defender of the Faith; of India, Emperor. | ||||
| George VI<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref><ref name="change1948">Template:Cite book</ref> |
1st seal<ref group="n" name="george6india">The revision of the royal style consequent on the Indian Independence Act 1947 did not result in the design of an entirely new Great Seal; instead, Percy Metcalfe recut the inscription on George Kruger Gray's 1938 model for the existing seal. The counterseal was unchanged.<ref name="change1948"/></ref>
28 February 1938–February 1948 |
lang}} | George VI, by the grace of God of Great Britain, Ireland, and the Lands across the sea which are in the British Dominion, King, Defender of the Faith; of India, Emperor. | ||
| {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (counterseal) | George VI, by the grace of God King. | |||||
| 2nd seal<ref group="n" name="george6india"/>
February 1948–1953 | ||||||
| lang}} | George VI, by the grace of God of Great Britain, Ireland, and the Lands across the sea which are in the British Dominion, King, Defender of the Faith. | |||||
| Elizabeth II<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref><ref name="ButlerSeal">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
1st seal
1953–18 July 2001 |
lang}} (obverse) | Elizabeth II, by the grace of God of the Britains and of her other realms Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith. |
| lang}} (reverse) | Elizabeth II, by the grace of God of the Britains Queen, Defender of the Faith. | |||||
| 2nd seal
18 July 2001–2025 |
lang}} | Elizabeth II, by the grace of God of the Britains and of her other realms Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith. | ||||
| Charles III<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
6 May 2025–present | lang}} <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Charles III, by the grace of God of the Britains and of his other realms King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith. |
- Seal charter Cathedral Saint Alban 1900.jpg
Great Seal of the Realm of Queen Victoria attached to the charter incorporating the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral of Saint Alban, 1900.
- Great Seal of the Realm - George V.jpg
Great Seal of the Realm of King George V (obverse)
- Great Seal of the Realm - George V - Dieu et mon droit.jpg
Great Seal of the Realm of King George V (reverse)
- Reverse of the Great Seal of the Realm 1953.jpg
An impression in wax of the Great Seal of the Realm (1953)
- Great Seal of the Realm (Elizabeth II) Obverse.png
Obverse side of Great Seal of the Realm struck in 2001 during the reign of Elizabeth II
See alsoEdit
FootnotesEdit
NotesEdit
BibliographyEdit
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