What the 3 lions on the England badge stand for...

What is the history of the three lions on the English football shirt? 

The lions have a history going back to the 12th century, when a standard with three gold lions on a red field was carried into battle to inspire the troops. 
The first one came from Henry I - known as the lion of England - who had a lion on his standard on taking power in 1100. Shortly afterwards he married Adeliza, whose father also had a lion on his shield, and to commemorate the event he added a second lion to his standard. In 1154, two lions became three when Henry II married Eleanor of Aquitaine, who - yes, you've guessed it - also had a lion her family crest. 
Later that century, Richard the Lionheart (1189-1199) used the three golden lions on a scarlet background as a symbol of the English throne and, after that, it appeared on the Royal Arms of every succeeding monarch. 
So when the FA was formed in 1863, it seemed natural enough to base their logo on this stirring royal shield. Since then, the design has only been changed once, in 1949 - when the crown that was on top of the lions was removed to differentiate the badge from that of the English cricket team.

Football Badge

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You use words like “whilst”, “shall”, “peckish” and “knackered” and don’t drop the u’s when spelling words like colour, favourite and humour.
You have no trouble understanding the dialect in British movies such as Billy Elliott, The Full Monty and Trainspotting.
You subscribe to more British magazines than you do American ones.
You know how to make a proper cup of tea and enjoy a nice biscuit.
You can explain to people why the British drive on the “other” side of the road.
You know how to display the Union Flag right side up.
You watch so much British telly that on most days the only non-British accents you hear belong to your family members.
You know the UK Top 10 charts by heart, but have no clue what’s playing on local radio.
You have a closet full of Union flag clothing but struggle to find anything patriotic to wear on the 4th of July.
You follow the weather in the UK and can convert Celsius to Fahrenheit in your head.
You can’t remember the American words for courgette, aubergine or rocket.
You know when it’s St. George’s Day, St. Andrew’s Day and St. David’s Day.
You know more about what’s going on in the U.K. than you do your own country.
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Your computer clock is set to UK time and you celebrate the New Year at midnight, GMT.
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Adapted by: Smitten By Britain