The Power of Wax:
The Story of the Great Seal of England
Did you know that throughout English history, the power of monarchy has rarely rested in words alone, the real power is in Wax!
In the days when they didn’t have digital signatures or even universal literacy, our rulers needed something more definite that was seen by everyone to be unquestionably royal. That is how they came up with the Great Seal of England, it was a physical expression of the sovereign’s will and his authority, they used wax! Basically, the Great Seal was pressed into wax and that wax seal was then attached to state documents showing that “This has the King’s word behind it.”
But what exactly is it, the Great Seal? Why did James II throw his into the River Thames in a fit of desperation? And why, in the end, it didn’t matter?
The Great Seal?
The Great Seal of England, which, of course, later became that of the United Kingdom, is the official proof that signifies the monarch’s approval of important state documents. Once impressed onto wax and attached to a document, it carries the full weight of royal consent. No Parliamentary act, treaty, or royal proclamation is valid without it.
Importantly, the Great Seal doesn’t just signal authority; it is authority. In many ways, it has operated like a royal passport—allowing orders to travel with legitimacy and precision through the vast and often chaotic machinery of state.
Where Did It Come From?
The use of a seal to authenticate documents stretches back into antiquity. Kings of Babylon and Egyptian pharaohs had similar symbols. But in England, the unbroken tradition of the Great Seal began with the Norman Conquest.
After William the Conqueror took the throne in 1066, he needed a way to consolidate and project his rule across a culturally fragmented and resistant England. One of his key tools, alongside castles, land redistribution, and law, was the Great Seal, as it bore his image and was used to authorise official charters, land grants, and appointments.
Since then, every English and British monarch has had their own version of the Great Seal.
Symbolism in Wax
Each monarch designs their own seal (or multiple seals during a reign), and they are rich in symbolism. Typically, one side shows the monarch enthroned, representing justice and majesty. The reverse shows them on horseback, representing leadership, strength, and military command.
These images weren’t just ceremonial. In an age where many people couldn’t read, the visual impact of the seal mattered, as it said: This comes directly from the King—or Queen.
The Keeper of the Seal
Who holds such a powerful object? Traditionally, it’s the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain. Today, that role is usually filled by a senior cabinet minister—in recent years, also serving as Secretary of State for Justice. In the past, however, this was one of the most powerful posts in the land, second only to the monarch.
The Chancellor is not only the keeper but also the administrator of the seal—ensuring it’s used only for documents truly requiring royal assent. The Chancellor’s control over the Great Seal has occasionally placed them at the heart of political drama, particularly during crises of succession or constitutional upheaval.
James II and the Vanishing Seal
This brings us to one of the Great Seal’s most theatrical moments.
In December 1688, England was in turmoil. King James II, a Catholic monarch in a Protestant nation, had lost the confidence of Parliament, the Church of England, and even many in his own family. The birth of a Catholic heir raised fears of a new Catholic dynasty. The so-called “Glorious Revolution” saw William of Orange, invited by Protestant nobles, land with an army.
James panicked. On December 11, he attempted to flee London in disguise. But before disappearing into the night, he did something curious: he threw the Great Seal into the River Thames.
Why?
Because, James believed that without the seal, government could not function. He hoped this symbolic act would paralyse the state machinery. No seal, no lawful acts. It was an act of desperation—a last attempt to throw sand in the gears of a rising regime.
But it didn’t work.
William and Mary, were declared joint sovereigns in 1689, then simply had a new seal made. The machinery of monarchy, it turns out, does not hinge on a single item, even one as symbolic as the Great Seal.
Still, James’s theatrical gesture remains a touching moment: the King, defeated, casting away the symbol of his reign in the vain hope that without it, no one else could govern.
A Seal for Every Ruler—and Even Some Without Crowns
Every monarch since 1066 has had their own version of the Great Seal.
Some, like Queen Victoria, commissioned multiple versions, she had four during her 63-year reign, to reflect her changing image and titles over time.
The tradition was so potent that even non-monarchs used it to claim legitimacy.
After the execution of Charles I in 1649, England was declared a republic under Oliver Cromwell. But the symbolism of kingship was hard to escape. Cromwell created his own version of the seal, inscribed: “The Great Seal of England, 1648”.
This wasn’t just vanity, it was necessity. Even a republic needed a seal to authorise laws and treaties. Cromwell’s government couldn’t rely on royal legitimacy, so it had to invent its own.
The Modern Seal
Today, the Great Seal still exists—though it’s more ceremonial than functional in the age of digital government. The current seal was struck in July 2001 to replace the one made in 1953 for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.
It now represents the reigning monarch, King Charles III, though an updated design for his reign has not yet been officially announced as of mid-2025.
The process of making a new Great Seal involves master craftsmen, intricate engraving, and a deep understanding of heraldry. The finished product is typically kept in a secure location, and only a few wax impressions are made each year—usually to seal Letters Patent or significant legal instruments like royal pardons.
The Process: Wax, Silver, and Authority
A document needing the Great Seal is first prepared and approved. A wax impression is then created—traditionally using green wax for documents relating to land grants and for everything else. The wax is poured into a Mold bearing the seal’s design, often made of silver. The finished wax seal is then attached to the document with silk or cord.
The sheer size and detail of these seals are striking, some are several inches across, deeply etched with the reigning monarch’s image.
The Great Seal in a Constitutional Monarchy
Today, the Great Seal persists as a symbol of tradition more than power. Britain is a constitutional monarchy, where real political authority lies with Parliament and ministers. But the use of the Great Seal remains a vital ceremonial act, particularly in transitions between monarchs or governments.
In fact, the very continuity of the Great Seal is itself a message: regimes may change, monarchs rise and fall, but the machinery of government, and the idea of legitimate authority, endures.
Conclusion: The Symbol That Wouldn’t Sink
When James II threw his seal into the Thames, he underestimated a fundamental truth of English government: power adapts, the physical seal could be replaced.
Authority, once transferred, did not rely on the presence of wax or silver, but on political consensus and public will.
Yet the Great Seal endures, not because it is needed, but because it means something.
- It connects us to a thousand years of evolving monarchy, crisis, and continuity
- It reminds us that behind the machinery of modern government it is an essential part of our deep and fascinating history.
It is, quite literally, the mark of the Crown.
Isn’t History interesting?
10 Fun and Thought-Provoking Questions
- Why did kings and queens use a wax seal instead of just signing their names?
(Think about times when most people couldn’t read or write!) - How do you think people felt when they saw a big, colourful wax seal on an important letter or law?
- Why do you think King James II threw the Great Seal into the River Thames? What did he hope would happen?
- If you were King or Queen, what pictures would you put on your own Great Seal? Why?
- Why did even people who weren’t kings, like Oliver Cromwell, want to use a seal like the monarchs?
- Do you think a wax seal still means something today, even when we have computers and email? Why or why not?
- What kind of person do you think should be in charge of looking after the Great Seal? What kind of job would that be?
- Why is it important that every king or queen makes their own version of the seal?
- What does the Great Seal tell us about how people showed power and leadership in the past?
- Why do you think we still keep old traditions like the Great Seal, even though we don’t really need them anymore?
More information for your students:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Seal_of_the_Realm
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/the-great-seal/
http://www.explore-parliament.net/nssMovies/08/0889/0889_.htm
© Tony Dalton