Royal Seals: Images of Power and Majesty introduces us to the seals of the English, Scottish and British royals, and also includes some ecclesiastic and noble seals, in cooperation with The National Archives.

I was a little apprehensive when I began to read this book, simply because I thought it wouldn’t be anything for me. But I am glad to say that I was completely wrong and was pleasantly surprised by this book. Admittedly there aren’t a lot of female royal seals, if only because there simply haven’t been that many Queens regnant. However, the book is filled with wonderful high-quality images of about as many (royal) seals as could be found, it seems. And that is what makes this book truly pop. Don’t get me wrong, the text is entirely factual and interesting, but the images are by far the best part.

So, if you’re looking to go a bit out of your royal comfort zone, this is the book for you. Get lost in the images of power and symbolism.

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History of Royal Women Blog

I absolutely loved this book. I have always been very interested in the history of the monarchy and believe it is an essential part of England’s history and an important part of the future as well. This was an intriguing look into the past through the National Archives... The bibliography is quite comprehensive and demonstrates that really there is a gap in the market to write about this, especially from an author who spends his working life with these seals and other historical artefacts. This is a book I will keep on my shelf for years to come and dip in and out of.

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Tudor Blogger

The book should interest readers of Medieval Archaeology, providing a good introduction to the subject through what is undoubtedly an amazing national collection.

Medieval Archaeology vol 65.1

Royal Seals is an introduction to the seals of the kings and queens of England, Scotland and latterly the United Kingdom, as well as the Church and nobility. Ranging from Medieval times to modern day, it uses images of impressive wax seals held at The National Archives to show the historical importance of these beautiful works of art. Included are features on the great seals of famous monarchs like Richard III, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and twentieth-century monarchs, as well as insights on the role of seals in treaties and foreign policy.

Now I will admit you might pick this book up and think it’s not going to be that interesting, but I can assure you, it is. But it is actually very fascinating as the book looks at the different types of seal used by various monarchs and why the seal came into being. We read about some of the most notable monarchs such as Charles II, George IV, James I, Henry VIII and more. But what has to be the best part of this book produced in conjunction with the National Archives, is the high quality of the pictures, certainly fantastic and really do show off the book at its best.

5 stars

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UK Historian

This is such a fantastic book because it offers a glimpse of royal, personal and ecclesiastical seals of the kings and queens of England, Scotland and the United Kingdom. The best part of this book are the stunning, high-quality photographs so you don't have to imagine what these seals looked like. The book was published in association with the National Archives, so you can admire these beauties at home, just by looking at them! I loved it.

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