Royal Crest


 * Not to be confused with the Hylian Crest.

The Royal Crest is a common depiction or engraving of the Triforce above a bird symbol introduced in Ocarina of Time. As its name implies, it serves as the official crest of the Royal Family of Hyrule and can be found in several places throughout the kingdom of Hyrule, specifically in Hyrule Castle. It can be also be found on walls, banners and Castle Guard uniforms. Contrary to popular belief, this crest does not appear on Princess Zelda's dress: it is actually the Hylian Crest.

Appearances
First appearing in Ocarina of Time, the Royal Crest makes several appearances. It can be found on the Castle Guard uniforms, above the drawbridge leading to the Market, on the tombstone of the Royal Family's Tomb, and in the Castle Courtyard. By The Wind Waker, the crest can be seen over the gates of Hyrule Castle and used in Rauru's stained-glass window. In The Minish Cap, a similar crest appears above the bell in Castle Town. The Royal Crest is more prevalent in Twilight Princess, appearing on banners, doors, and other engravings in Hyrule Castle and on the uniforms of the Castle Guards. It is also predominately displayed all over Hyrule Castle Town, with the most obvious design being in the fountain of the Central Square. It also appears in the designs of various doors as well on several flags found throughout Castle Town and near the town's entrance.

A variation of this crest appears in Spirit Tracks, but substituting a Force Gem for the Triforce in its design. It is visible on the front of the Spirit Train as well as on Anjean. This modified crest appears to be the national symbol of the "new Hyrule" to distinguish it from the ancient one destroyed during the Great Flood. It is also interesting to note that the Royal Crest in Spirit Tracks is replaced by a symbol of two pirate swords, which can be found throughout Hyrule Castle. This can most likely be attributed to Tetra, who was a pirate and founded the new kingdom of Hyrule.