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The
Scottish Rampant Lion is the official flag of Scotland’s Royalty. It
is the emblem of the Kings and Queens of Scots. Given that Queen
Elizabeth is Queen of the
United Kingdom and inherently Queen of Scotland, it remains her
personal banner. However the flag is used far more widely than by the reigning
monarch, being favoured as a second national flag.
During
a time when it was essential to recognize adversaries in conflict,
King William “the Lion”, who reigned between 1165-1214,
implemented a design to be identified as the Rampant Lion. He used the
design on the heraldic banners carried into battle by his loyal
supporters. The
distinctive emblem became the Royal Coat of Arms and it was also
incorporated into the Great Seal of Scotland.
It achieved significant popularity in the twentieth century
when King George V allowed the use of the Scottish Royal Flag to
signify loyalty to the Crown in the 1934 Jubilee celebrations.
Officially, the use is restricted, but in modern times the
Crown does not monitor infringements.
It
is interesting to note the authority responsible for matters related
to heraldry and the Coat of Arms in Scotland, the Court of the Lord
Lyon, passed an Act in 1679 prescribing the death penalty for those
who misused the Royal Coat of Arms.
The Court of the Lord Lyon remains the heraldic authority in
Scotland today
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