Change in the Royal Coat of Arms in 1837

The British Royal Coat of Arms was altered in 1837 following the accession of Queen Victoria. The Hanoverian escutcheon, which had appeared in the arms since the Act of Union with Hanover, was removed when the personal union between the British Crown and the Kingdom of Hanover ended.

This change is significant in the study of pottery marks, as it provides a useful guide for dating printed and impressed examples. Wares bearing the earlier version of the arms, including the Hanoverian shield, can generally be dated to before 1837, while those without it belong to the Victorian period and later.

Pre 1837

George III’s Royal Arms (1801–1837) placed England in the first and fourth quarters, Scotland in the second, and Ireland in the third, with a central escutcheon for Hanover reflecting the monarch’s additional role as Elector (later King) of Hanover. 

This Hanoverian shield was removed after 1837, when the personal union with Hanover ended under Queen Victoria and the succession passed to a different line.

Victoria and all subsequent monarchs: 

In 1837, the Hanoverian escutcheon and crown were removed because, under Hanoverian succession law (Salic law), Queen Victoria was unable to inherit the throne of Hanover. Since then, the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom have remained essentially unchanged.

The Royal Arms without the central small shield - which was removed when Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1837

1837 and onward  Royal Arms without the centre shield This example of an Edward Clarke mark - they operated from around 1865 to 1877

These distinctions are particularly useful when examining pottery marks from British  manufacturers using versions of the Royal Arms.

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This section created 1 January 2003

All pages updated 29 April 2026