Arms of England from BL Royal 17 F III, f. 120

Detail from the full border of the royal arms of England surmounted by a crowned helm with mantling in Edward's colours of red and blue and surrounded by the Garter, with two escutcheons bearing the royal arms for his sons, Edward, the Prince of Wales and Richard, duke of York, two banners with the royal arms of England, and the Yorkist badge of the white ~rose-en-soleil~ with a motto 'Dieu et mon droit'. Image taken from f. 120 of City of God (La cité de Dieu). Written in French.

The BL Royal Manuscript Collection, also known as the Royal Collection, consists of over 2,000 manuscripts that were once owned by the British monarchs, including English and later British kings and queens from the late 12th to the 19th centuries. These manuscripts are notable for their historical and artistic value.

The collection was initially stored in various royal libraries and palaces, such as the Tower of London and Westminster Palace. During the English Civil War in the 17th century and the subsequent Interregnum, many royal treasures, including manuscripts, were dispersed and sold. Some manuscripts were lost, destroyed, or ended up in private hands.

In 1757, King George II donated the Old Royal Library to the British Museum (which later became the British Library), where the manuscripts were integrated into the museum's collections. This marked the formal establishment of the Royal Manuscript Collection within the British Museum.