I am guessing that if it wasnt for the badge on the England football and cricket shirts many people would not have heard of the three lions. Not to mention that song of course.

The Lions actually have their roots in France. Henry II of Henry of Anjou inherited the English throne and thus formed the Angevin empire. His coat of arms was a single lion which by the time of Richard I transmuted into something resembling that resembles the three lions we have today.

The same lions form part of the Royal crest but they are diferent from the lions on both the cricket and football strips both of which are patented modern symbols (hence why I am not showing them here.

Normandy in france has the same lions but two of them. None I am afraid has any significance in symbolism, both Normandy and England are remarkably lion free territories.

One of the best explanations of the badge can be found  at  England football online.

The flag itself is very striking but it does really only represent a dynasty rather than the country.

But it does make an visually attaractive change to the red and white St George on football days.