Wales (or Cymru in Welsh) is a mountainous country on the western side of

National Symbols of England

1. National Flag

2. National Anthem

3. Crown Jewels

4. Coat of Arms

5. National Day

6. The Rose

7. Icons:

National Flag

The Flag of England is the Cross of Saint George. The legend of Saint George slaying the dragon dates from the 12th century and Saint George became the patron saint of England in the 13th century. The red cross appeared in the crusades and is one of the earliest known emblems representing England.

According to the tradition, George was born to a Christian family during the late 3rd century. The youth followed his father's example in joining the army soon after his coming of age. He proved to be a charismatic soldier and consequently rose quickly through the military ranks of the time. By his late twenties George had been a member of the personal guard attached to Roman Emperor Diocletian. In 303, Diocletian issued an edict authorising the systematic persecution of Christians across the Empire. It is believed that George was ordered to take part in the persecution but instead confessed to being a Christian himself. An enraged Diocletian proceeded in ordering the torture of this apparent traitor and his execution.

The National Anthem of Britain is God Save the Queen. This Anthem represents the whole of the UK. However, Wales and Scotland have other songs which they sing, especially when playing against England in sport matches. England too has its own song or songs (it can be considered as National Anthem). William Blake's Jerusalem and Swing Low, Sweet Chariot are often sung.

The collective term Crown Jewels denotes the regalia and vestments worn by the sovereign of the United Kingdom (Elisabeth II.) during the coronation ceremony and at various other state functions. The term refers to the following objects not mentioning all: the crowns, sceptres (with either the cross or the dove), orbs, swords, rings, and the royal robe or pall.

St. Edward's Crown was made in 1661. Made of gold, its design consists of four crosses pattee and four fleurs-de-lis, with two arches on top. Surmounting the arches is a jewelled cross pattee. The Crown includes 444 semi-precious stones. It is used through most of the coronation ceremony. Queen Elizabeth II opted to use a stylised representation of this crown in images of the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom.

The Imperial State Crown (on the picture) was made in 1937 for King George VI. It is made of gold and includes four crosses pattee and four fleurs-de-lis, with two arches on top, surmounted by a cross pattee. The Crown includes many jewels: 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and five rubies. Among the stones are several famous ones, including the Black Prince's Ruby and the Cullinan II diamond, also known as the Lesser Star of Africa. It is worn after the conclusion of the Coronation ceremony when the monarch leaves Westminster Abbey, and also at the annual State Opening of Parliament.

Two Sceptres (there are five of them) used by the Sovereign form a part of the regalia:

The Sceptre with the Cross was made in 1661, and is so called because it is surmounted by a cross. In 1905, it was redesigned to incorporate the Cullinan I, also known as the Great Star of Africa, which at over 530 carats (106 g), is the largest cut diamond in the world. During the coronation, the monarch bears the Sceptre with the Cross in the right hand.

The Sceptre with the Dove was also made in 1661, and atop it is a dove symbolising the Holy Ghost. While the Sceptre with the Cross is borne in the right hand, the Sceptre with the Dove is borne in the left one. At the same time as the Sovereign holds both Sceptres, he or she is crowned with St Edward's Crown.

The Sovereign's Orb, a type of globus cruciger, is a hollow golden sphere made in 1661. There is a band of jewels running along the centre, and a half-band on the top hemisphere. Surmounting the orb is a jewelled Cross representing the Sovereign's role as Defender of the Faith. For a part of the coronation, it is borne in the Sovereign's left hand.

The Jewelled Sword of Offering was made for the Coronation of King George IV. Its jewels are in the shapes of the floral symbols of the United Kingdom: the rose for England, the thistle for Scotland, and the shamrock for Ireland. It is the only sword actually presented to the Sovereign during the Coronation; the others are merely borne in front of the Sovereign.

The Sword of State (on the picture) is the largest sword in the collection, and is borne in front of the Monarch by the Lord Great Chamberlain both at the coronation and at the State Opening of Parliament.

The Royal Coat of Arms of England was used as the official coat of arms of the Kingdom of England until the Union of the Crowns (with Scotland) in 1603. Afterwards, the arms became an integral part of the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom.

Following the Norman conquest of England after 1066, the arms of the House of Normandy were used in England, two golden lions on a red field. The succession of King Henry II of the House of Plantagenet in 1158 saw the first known arms of an English monarch used, a golden lion on a red field. When King Richard I ("The Lionheart") came to the throne he adopted his personal arms as three golden lions on a red field. The origin of these arms is thought to be based on the earlier Norman arms. According to one tradition, the extra lion was added to two existing Norman lions to represent the combined Anglo-Norman realm.

St. George's Day is on April 23rd, so, in a sense, this is England's national day. St. George is the patron saint of England. His emblem, a red cross on a white background, is the flag of England, and part of the British flag. St George's emblem was adopted by Richard The Lion Heart and brought to England in the 12th century. The king's soldiers wore it on their tunics to avoid confusion in battle. The popularity of St George in England stems from the time of the early Crusades when it is said that the Normans saw him in a vision and were victorious. The Saint's name was shouted as a battle cry by English knights who fought beneath the red-cross banner of St George during the Hundred Years War.

By tradition, April 23rd is the day for a red rose in the button hole, the national flower. However, unlike other countries, England does not celebrate it like Americans celebrate 4 July with fireworks, cook-outs, big dinners, etc (and the English definitely do not wish each other a Happy 23rd of April - whereas the Americans greet each other with a cheerful "happy 4th of July"). In fact, you are more likely to see big St Patrick parades in England celebrating Ireland's National Day, more than you would see any sign of St Georges Day being celebrated. This was certainly true in Manchester in 2003, when St George's Day was virtually ignored soon after the biggest St Patrick's Day Celebrations in the city's history. For most people in England St George's Day is just another ordinary day.

The national flower of England is the rose. The flower has been adopted as England’s emblem since the time of the Wars of the Roses - civil wars (1455-1485) between the royal house of Lancaster (whose emblem was a red rose) and the royal house of York (whose emblem was a white rose). King Richard III and the Yorkists were defeated at Bosworth on 22 August 1485 by the future Henry VII. The two roses were combined to make the Tudor rose (a red rose with a white centre) by Henry VII when he married Elizabeth of York.

The Queen's Guard are responsible for guarding Buckingham Palace and St. James's Palace in London. They usually consist of Foot Guards (There are also mounted guards at the Palaces ® middle) in full-dress uniform of red tunics and bearskins. Guards are prohibited from making contacts in any way with passers-by, even in cases when they are deliberately provoked by tourists (right).

When The Queen is in residence, there are four Foot Guards at the front of the building; when she is away there are two.

The Queen's Guard changes in the Forecourt of Buckingham Palace at 11:30am every day in the summer and every other day in the winter. When Queen Victoria moved into Buckingham Palace in 1837, the Queen's Guard remained at St James's Palace, with a detachment guarding Buckingham Palace, as it still does today. The Queen's Guard changes at St James's Palace at 11:00 am prior to marching to Buckingham Palace. The Changing of the Guard is a favourite with tourists.

The men you see in front of Buckingham Palace (and other locations) are serving soldiers, not just The Queen's Guard. While upholding the traditions of the past through their ceremonial duties, the Foot Guards also carry out operational duties in the UK and throughout the world as professional soldiers. The guards are all part of the Household Division who have guarded the Sovereign and the Royal Palaces since 1660.

Double-decker buses made in three different epochs. Riding on the top (there are open-top ones as well) is a good way to see the sights of London. People board the bus at the front, the back door is only for getting off. Do not forget to queue while you are standing at the bus stop!

Big Ben is one of the most famous landmarks in the world. The clock tower is situated on the banks of the river Thames and is part of the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament). Officially "Big Ben" does not refer to the whole clocktower (also known as St Stephen's Tower), but to the huge thirteen ton bell that strikes the hour.

Tower Bridge has stood over the River Thames in London since 1894 and is one of the finest, most recognisable bridges in the World. At the Tower Bridge Exhibition you can enjoy breath-taking views from the high-level Walkways and learn about the history of the Bridge and how it was built. You can then visit the Victorian Engine Rooms, home to the original steam engines that used to power the Bridge lifts. Tower Bridge Walkways have specially designed windows, giving visitors a unique opportunity to take photos of the views without them being obscured by glass. Tower Bridge also houses three exquisite, stunning and unique venues, which are ideal for all styles of Corporate Hospitality and Private events, including Weddings and commitment ceremonies.

Stonehenge is a megalithic monument located about 8 miles (13 km) northwest of Salisbury. It is composed of earthworks surrounding a circular setting of large standing stones and is one of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world. Archaeologists think the standing stones were erected between 2500 BC and 2000 BC although the surrounding circular earth bank and ditch, which constitute the earliest phase of the monument, have been dated to about 3100 BC. It is a mistical structure both from an astronomical and a religious point of view. On a midsummer's (solstice) morning the sun's first rays go directly into the centre of the monument between the horseshoe arrangement. It is unlikely that such an alignment can have been merely accidental.