The fifth crowned portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II facing right, wearing the George IV State Diadem and drop earrings.

The George IV State Diadem, officially the Diamond Diadem, is a type of crown that was made in 1820 for King George IV. The diadem is worn by queens and queens consort in procession to coronations and State Openings of Parliament. The piece of jewelry has been featured in paintings and on stamps and currency. It can be seen in the Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace.

ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FIDEI DEFENSATRIX means Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen and Defender of the Faith.

Engraver: Jody Clark

Depicts the Seymour Panther standing proudly beside a shield bearing the Seymour Wings, surrounded by the inscription above and date below.

The Seymour Panther was given to Jane Seymour, Henry VIII’s third wife, by the king from the treasury of royal beasts. Like his father before him, Henry VIII adopted the panther as a symbol to reinforce his regal lineage. The statue appears on the viewer’s left-hand side (dexter) and the coat of arms depict the Duke of Beaufort’s arms, whose family Henry VIII’s grandmother descended from. Possessing the tail of a lion and the claws of an eagle, the heraldic beast is often portrayed as angry and incensed, with fire coming from its mouth and ears.

Standing fierce and foreboding on the Moat Bridge of Hampton Court Palace, the Seymour Panther was likely gifted to Jane Seymour by Henry VIII from the treasury of royal beasts. However, its original appearance was that of a leopard which represented the arms of the king’s previous wife, Anne Boleyn. In the year of Anne’s execution, which was the same year Jane Seymour replaced her as queen and consort, Henry VIII ordered all of Anne’s arms and badges to be replaced or destroyed. In an attempt to save money, whilst simultaneously honouring his new queen, he employed savvy thinking and ordered Anne’s leopard to be altered in order for it to become the Seymour Panther, which also served as the dexter supporter of her arms, meaning it appears on the viewer’s left-hand side. The panther is covered in spots, a feature the stone panther shares with the Chapel Court panther, and possesses a crown collar and chain down the body.

The Seymour Panther supports a shield bearing the Seymour Wings, which are conjoined in lure, meaning they are joined together with their tips pointing downwards. Wings used in heraldry symbolise peace, flight, freedom and spiritual transport, as well as denoting protection. The wings conjoined in lure on Jane Seymour’s arms are the most well-known in heraldic tradition.

Engraver: David Lawrence