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Royal Standard of Scotland
The Lion Rampant
Description
A red lion rampant with blue tongue and claws within a red double tressure flory counter-flory on a yellow field.
History
The Standard is a banner of the ancient arms of Scotland, used by the King of Scots.
The first recorded use of the Standard is by King William I in the 12th century. A register in the College of Arms in London describes the arms of the Kyng of Scottz as being Or, a lion rampant within a double tressure flory counter-flory Gules.
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth I of England in 1603, King James VI of Scotland ascended the throne of England, resulting in the Union of the Crowns. The Royal Arms of Scotland and England were combined, and the Lion Rampant now appeared in the new Royal Standard.
Current Use
Today, the Royal Standard of Scotland remains an official flag of the British monarch, and it is flown from the Queen's royal residencies- Holyrood Palace and Balmoral Castle, when she is not in residence.
The Standard may also be used by representatives of the Crown, including: the First Minister of Scotland, Lord Lieutenants in their Lieutenancies, the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and the Lord Lyon King of Arms (the chief officer who regulates heraldry in Scotland).
The flag is also used by the Royal Regiment of Scotland
National Flag
Since the 1920s, the Standard has also been used as an unofficial national flag of Scotland, and can often be seen at football matches of the Scottish national team, as well as flying from private residences and business premises.
Techincally this is illegal under the Lyon King of Arms Act 1672, although the law is not enforced.
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