ðə pˈɜːpəs sˈiːmz tə hɐvbɪn sˈɪmpli tʊ aɪdˈɛntᵻfˌaɪ ɐn ˌɪndᵻvˈɪdʒuːəl sˈɑːvɚɹˌɪn, pɚtˈɪkjʊlɚli ˌɔn sˈɜːʔn̩ lˈændmɑːɹks ðæt hiː ɔːɹ ʃiː hɐz kəmˈɪʃənd, æz ðə ɹˈɔɪəl kˈoʊt ʌv ˈɑːɹmz ɪn kˈɑːntɹæst wʌz ˈɔfən jˈuːzd baɪ səksˈɛsɪv mˈɑːnɚkz ænd ɪz ðˈɛɹfoːɹ nˌɑːt dɪstˈɪŋkt.
The purpose seems to have been simply to identify an individual sovereign, particularly on certain landmarks that he or she has commissioned, as the royal coat of arms in contrast was often used by successive monarchs and is therefore not distinct.