King of arms

In many heraldic traditions, only a king of arms has the authority to grant armorial bearings and sometimes certify genealogies and noble titles.

In England, the authority to grant a coat of arms is subject to the formal approval of the Earl Marshal in the form of a warrant.

In jurisdictions such as the Republic of Ireland the authority to grant armorial bearings has been delegated to a chief herald that serves the same purpose as the traditional king of arms.

At the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the kings of arms used a crown trimmed with sixteen acanthus leaves alternating in height, and inscribed with the words Miserere mei Deus secundum magnam misericordiam tuam ('Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy great mercy'; Psalm 51).

The Norroy and Ulster King of Arms is the herald of the (now dormant) Order of St Patrick.