The College of Arms is the authority on the flying of flags in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and maintains the only official register of flags for these countries.[1] It was established in 1484 and as part of the Royal Household operates under the authority of the Crown.[1] The Lord Lyon King of Arms, established prior to 1399, holds a similar role within Scotland.[2] A separate private body called the Flag Institute, an educational charity financed by its own membership, also maintains a registry of United Kingdom flags that it styles 'the UK Flag Registry', though this has no official status under UK law.[3]
Northern Ireland has no official nor universally accepted flag.[9] The Ulster Banner portrayed here is from the former coat of arms of Northern Ireland and was the flag of the Government of Northern Ireland between 1924 and 1972. Since 1972 this flag has continued to be used for want of another distinctive flag, almost exclusively amongst the Unionist community. The flag is commonly used for sporting events and teams from Northern Ireland, most notably in the Commonwealth Games, the Northern Ireland national football team and events where Northern Irish competitors represent the province specifically such as snooker, darts and golf.
National flag used by the Welsh Government and agencies, sports teams representing Wales and by ordinary citizens.
The flags of England and of Scotland are ancient war flags which became by usage the national flags of the Kingdom of England (which included Wales) and of the Kingdom of Scotland respectively and continued in use until the Act of Union 1707. Thereafter, they were as de facto flags of those parts of the United Kingdom. The flag of Wales was formalised in 1959, but has ancient origins; the dragon was used as a battle-flag by countless Welsh rulers, the current flag being a redesign of the flag carried by Henry Tudor.[11] The Flag of Northern Ireland is controversial.[12] The coat of arms of the Government of Northern Ireland, a red cross on a white field, defaced with a Red Hand of Ulster within a six pointed star topped with a crown, became used as a local flag, though the end of the province's Government in 1973 ended its official status. This flag has continued to be the internationally recognisable de facto flag of Northern Ireland through its use by international sporting organisations (for example FIFA,[13]UEFA,[14] and the Commonwealth Games)[15] to represent Northern Ireland, though locally it has the allegiance mainly of the Unionist community. The St Patrick's Saltire is also sometimes used by the UK government in London to represent Northern Ireland when a discrete Northern Ireland flag is required.[16][17]
A red cross on a white field (St George's Cross) with an inescutcheon of the island's coat of arms. Alderney is an autonomous Crown Dependency and is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
A golden cross within a red cross on a white field (St George's Cross). Guernsey is an autonomous Crown Dependency and is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
A red cross on a white field (St George's Cross) with the coat of arms of the island in the canton. Herm is an island which belongs to the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
A green flag with a white stripe in the hoist, with the name "The Lihou Charitable Trust" in white on the green field, and a black and white Eurasian oystercatcher flying eastwards on the white stripe.[19]
A red cross on a white field (St George's Cross) with two lions (the arms of the PlantagenetDukes of Normandy) in the canton overflowing the red cross. Strictly speaking, this was the personal flag of the Seigneur.
A red cross on a white field (St George's Cross) with two lions (the arms of the PlantagenetDukes of Normandy) in the canton. Strictly speaking, this was the personal flag of the Seigneur. Sark is an autonomous Crown Dependency and is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
A white flag with the shield of the parish in the centre, consisting of the coat of arms of Guernsey surrounded by a blue and silver ring bearing the name "ST PIERRE PORT GUERNSEY".
A flag coloured two-thirds dark blue and one-third light blue (at the top), with a brown and green tree in the light blue section and a pair of crossed gold and silver keys (the Keys of Heaven) in the dark blue section.
A white flag with a red field in the canton containing a gold Norman cross. At the bottom of the flag are three blue waves, with a red ship with four white sails sailing eastwards on the top wave. Below the ship is a gold scroll bearing the name "TORTEVAL", and behind the ship is a green shoreline, above which a grey gull is flying downwards. Above the gull is a grey skyline.
In 1999, the maritime flags of the British Overseas Territories were updated at the request of the Ministry of Defence.[citation needed] The white discs were removed from the field of the flags and each respective coat of arms was increased in size for ease of identification. As the MoD only had authority over sea flags, the governments of the Overseas Territories were free to continue using the flags with white discs on land. The Overseas Territories' governments did switch to the updated flags over a staggered period of time, however some old-style flags with white discs may still be seen. Such flags have generally been adopted by Order in Council. Civil (Red Ensign) flags are under the control of the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Transport and are split into two categories: Category 1 is to register ships of unlimited tonnage and type. Category 2 is to register commercial ships and yachts of up to 150 gross registered tons.[20]
Two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the centre of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centred in the red band. This is the flag commonly used on land.
1999–present
A blue ensign defaced with the badge of Gibraltar in the fly. This is the ensign for vessels owned by the Government, or in Government service.
1996–present
A red ensign defaced with the badge of Gibraltar in the fly. Used as the civil ensign for locally registered vessel.
Prior to 1999, all governors' flags had smaller discs and the outer green garland without the gold ring. Therefore, the dates given do not reflect this minor, consistent change.
A design based on the Blue Ensign with a Union Jack in the union and wavy white lines going horizontally along the field, defaced with the coat of arms of the British Indian Ocean Territory. This flag is also used as the de facto flag of the Territory.
Red Ensign defaced with the shield of the coat of arms (a St George's Cross with a sailing ship in each quarter). The Master and Deputy Master each have their own flags.
A dark blue field with a fouled anchor, lion and crown.
King's Colour for the Royal Navy
A White Ensign defaced in the centre of the cross with a garter of the Order of the Garter encircling the Royal Cypher of King Charles III and surmounted by a Tudor Crown.
A dark blue, red and light blue tricolour defaced with the Joint Service badge. A simplified version with the badge in black is also in use. The tricolour is a combination of the colours of the Armed Forces.
A dark blue, red and light blue horizontal tricolour with a Union canton and defaced with the badge of the Chief of the Defence Staff. The tricolour is a combination of the colours of the Armed Forces.
A black burgee with the white-coloured initials "PNYC" arranged vertically in the hoist and separated from the rest of the burgee by a vertical white line, and the rest of the burgee divided by a white Saint Piran's Cross with a gold ship's wheel to the upper left of the cross.
A white burgee with a crimson border, defaced with a white shield containing three black bells (two above and one below) in the hoist, and the black-coloured initials "Q.S.C." in the fly.
Banner of the Duke's Coat of Arms, the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom with a three-point label bearing Escallops in reference to the arms of Diana, Princess of Wales
Banner of the Princess's Coat of Arms, the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom with a five-point label with three thistle heads in alternating points
Banner of the Princess's Coat of Arms, the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom with a three-point label, the first and third labels bearing a red cross, the centre label bearing a red heart.
Banner of the Duke's Coat of Arms, the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom with a five-point label, the first, third and fifth labels bearing a red cross, the second and fourth labels bearing a red lion.
Banner of the Duke's Coat of Arms, the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom with a five-point label, the first, third and fifth labels bearing a blue anchor, the second and fourth labels bearing a red cross.
Banner of the Prince's Coat of Arms, the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom with a five-point label, the first, third and fifth labels bearing a red cross, the second and fourth labels bearing a blue anchor.
Banner of the Princess's Coat of Arms, the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom with a five-point label, the first and fifth labels bearing a red heart, the third label bearing a red cross, the second and fourth labels bearing a blue anchor.
A White Ensign with a pre-1801 Union Flag in the canton, defaced with a blue lighthouse in the fly, is the only British flag to still use the pre-1801 Union Flag.[28] This flag is only flown from vessels with the Commissioners aboard and from the Headquarters of the NLB, in Edinburgh.
The flag of Saint Patrick is one of two flags authorised for use on Church of Ireland buildings and grounds. The other is that of the Anglican Communion above.[29]
Banner of arms (flag form of a coat of arms) have long been used to represent local authority councils and the areas they cover.[33] Some of these include the banners used by Northumberland and Hertfordshire County Councils which before 2012 had already "released" their banners of arms for use as historic county flags, in most cases a historic county flag is derived or (for the two counties) directly adopted.[34]
Community (or civic) flags have also been adopted to cover small areas or places.
Consisting of four-quarters containing a red crowned lion passant, a gold cinquefoil, a blue-white checked strip crossed with buckled red belt, and a depiction of the heart of Robert the Bruce to represent the four ancient earldoms of Angus.[35]
On the green border are Parnassus flowers (representing Cumberland) interspersed with white roses (Yorkshire) superimposed with red roses (Lancashire). The centre of the shield is made up of segments of blue, white, yellow and green divided by wavy vertical lines and zig-zag horizontal lines. This depicts the new County and from left to right the vertical lines of segments show: blue and white for the sea, blue and yellow (gold) for the lakes and agriculture, green and white for mountains and lakes and green and yellow (gold) for mountains and agriculture.
1961, altered for post-1974 reform and transferred to unitary authority in 2009
A yellow cross on a blue field with lions rampant in each quarter from the Bishopric of Durham's arms, black diamonds on each arm (representing coal and industry) added when the arms was originally adopted with a later change to add a white rose of York on a blue square in centre of the cross (the latter added in 1974 to represent the area of Yorkshire in Teesdale administered by the council).[38]
Adopted by the Greater London Council (1965-1986), this banner of arms is the last official flag of Greater London. The waves are taken from the flag of the former London County Council (1914-1965) and the Saxon crown from the flag of Middlesex. The Greater London Authority (2001-present) uses multiple logo variations but has not officially adopted a flag.[40]
All the devices on the flag come from arms of various Earls of Stafford. The red chevron on gold was the arms of the de Staffords. It is charged with the family's famous Stafford knot badge.
A silver bear with red muzzle and gold collar and chain supporting a silver ragged staff on a red shield, with three red crosses (each of which has its arms crossed) on a gold band at the top.[51]
Banner of arms of the former county council. The flag has two dancetty barrulets interlaced to form a W and M representing the initials of "West Midlands".
A red saltire, which divides the flag into four sections: two of them white (top and bottom) and two green (hoist and fly). (Registered by the Flag Institute)[60]
Golden vertical zig-zag offset to hoist dividing blue and red, with a bulls head in the centre. The flag of city as opposed to the banner of the council. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[61]
Silhouette of Lady Godiva on a white field with two stripes in the traditional shade of Coventry Blue. Updated in 2018 from the 1345 arms flag depicting an Elephant. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[64]
Triband of blue, thinner black and white with counterchanged rings over the black-white division and ripples beneath. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[66]
A red cross on a white field, with a red sword in the canton. A banner of the arms of the City of London Corporation. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[73]
A stylised image of St Leonard's Tower in the centre of a modified flag of Devon. The green represents the moors, the black the granite and the white the clay of the surrounding area. The cross is also used to represent a major crossroads in the town which converged on the clock tower. The arms of the cross represent the routes to Exeter and London, Bovey Tracey and the moors, Totnes and Plymouth, and Torquay and Brixham.[76][77]
A white windmill and plough on blue divided by a white diagonal series of rectangles with a blue Celtic cross in the centre. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[84]
The Scottish flag defaced in the centre of the saltire with the red lion rampant from the Scottish royal banner, with two caltraps in the upper and lower sections, and two spur-rowels in the left and right sections.
Three golden locks on red and a crowned set of golden crossed keys on blue divided by a crenellated vertical line. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[86]
Green, with a white Scandinavian Cross showing the ancestry of the people and places names of Barra. The green represents the green of the Barra Isles.[90]
The colours represent the landscape of the area: Portland stone, grass and the sea. The white tower represents the castles and the naval coronet shows the long connection with the Royal Navy.[95]
A blue saltire on a white field, with a thistle in the upper quarter, a castle in the lower quarter, and an open book in the centre of the saltire. It is a banner of the University's coat of arms.
An open book with the inscription Dominus Illuminatio Mea (Latin for "The Lord is my light"), surrounded by three golden crowns (two above and one below) on a blue field.
A gold cross on a black field. This is flown in Wales especially on St David's Day. This flag and the St Patrick's flag are not considered national flags but may be flown without special consent.[99]
Two crossed gold keys beneath a gold ring on a field of red. The symbols represent the two Patron Saints of the Abbey: the ring of Saint Edward the Confessor (founder of the Abbey), and the keys of Saint Peter.
A maroon flag with a blue border defaced by a yellow star with the Salvation Army's motto "Blood & Fire" written on it.
Suggested redesigns of the Union Jack, including one with the red dragon from the flag of Wales added in the centre; two variations with the inclusion of yellow from the flag of Saint David; and one with the inclusion of the green element of the flag of Wales.
The current UK flag (the Union Jack) holds symbolism from England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, but lacks any symbolism of the only other UK nation in Wales. Therefore, it has been suggested the Union Jack be redesigned to include representation of Wales or a completely new or alternate flag be used.[101][102]
The arms ascribed to the Wuffingas dynasty of East Anglia, three crowns on a blue shield, superimposed on a St George's cross (Registered by the Flag Institute)[105].
Party per pale or and purpure; on a castle triple-towered argent an ancient crown party per pale of the second and first. (Chosen by competition)[109](Registered by the Flag Institute)[110]
Gules between three lions rampant or a chevron of the second: the attributed arms of Hwfa ap Cynddelw, the traditional badge of the county. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[111]
Orange top half, with the sun in white in the upper hoist, over white and blue stripes and five counter-changed roundels in the form of a railway viaduct. (Chosen by competition)[112](Registered by the Flag Institute)[113]
Based on the arms of Beauchamp, Barons of Bedford (red and gold) and Russell, Dukes of Bedford (black with 3 scallops). Unlike the old county council banner, the bars wavy are counterchanged per pale. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[114]
A horozontal blue and green bicolour divided in the middle by a white chain, with a leaping silver salmon in the blue section, and a curved gold ear of barley in the green section.
A red and black field bearing a chained swan: a traditional badge of the county. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[116](Chosen in a BBC competition)[117]
A Scandinavian cross flag for the county's Norse heritage, with the civic badge of Caithness, a ship with a raven on its sail, in the upper hoist. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[119](Enrolled by the Lord Lyon)[120]
A green cross with a white border on a sky blue field, with a gold Tudor rose in the centre. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[126](Chosen in a BBC competition)[127]
A gold and blue horizontal bicolour with St. Cuthbert's Cross countercharged upon it. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[134](Chosen by competition)[135]
A blue field with a gold saltire voided blue; over all a lozenge with a lion rampant. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[136](Chosen by competition)[137]
Argent, between four Cornish choughs sable a cross engrailed flory of the second. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[139]; the arms attributed to Edwin Tegeingl (Edwin ap Gronwy)
On a waved background, a Hart reclining on a yellow shield – a flag displayed on the crest of the county arms(Registered by the Flag Institute)[145]A banner of the council's arms[146]
A green and white quartered field bearing the Cross of St Cuthbert (from whom the county is named). (Registered by the Flag Institute)[150](Enrolled by the Lord Lyon)[151]
Quarterly Vert and Azure, on a Cross Gules fimbriated Or a Fleur-de-Lis of the last. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[154](Chosen in a BBC competition)[155]
Azure, three goats rampant Argent, armed and unguled Or; from the dexter base the sun in his splendour issuant Or. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[156]
A green strip in the hoist bearing a gold wheatsheaf; orange over blue with a wavy division. (Chosen by competition)[159](Registered by the Flag Institute)[160]
Party per pale or and sable, a bend ermine; the attributed arms of Ralph de Gael or Guader, 1st Earl of Norfolk (Registered by the Flag Institute)[161]
Maroon with a gold cross fimbriated black, and in the centre the county's traditional rose.[162] (Registered by the Flag Institute)[163](Chosen by competition)[164]
A red cross fimbriated white on a green field, with an inescutcheon in the centre showing Robin Hood. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[166](Chosen in a BBC competition)[167]
The arms of the pre-1974 County Council: blue with a red ox head on a double bend wavy, between a wheatsheaf and an oak. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[170]
Three leopards' faces, referred to as loggerheads locally, are a traditional emblem for Shropshire and its county town, Shrewsbury. The erminois aspect differentiates the county flag with that of Shrewsbury. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[175]A banner of the council's arms[176]
Based on the traditional emblem of Sussex; Six gold martlets on a Blue field, first recorded in 1611 and used by many Sussex organisations. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[183]
White with a black saltire intersecting a black Scandinavian cross, a sun figure in the centre. This design won a local competition, replacing a previous winner (a swooping eagle counterchanged against a vertical bicoloured red and yellow background, with three mullets at the hoist).[184] (Registered by the Flag Institute)[185]
A bear and ragged staff (the badge of the Earls of Warwick) which has become a symbol of the county, white on red. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[186]
Alternating downward angled stripes of green and white bearing a green disc within six alternating green and white sections, on which stands an image of a great bustard. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[188][189] Accepted by Wiltshire Council in December 2009[190]
Three black pears on a shield charged against a wavy green and blue background. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[191](Chosen in a BBC competition)[192]
Per pall reversed Sable, Gules and Argent a pall reversed Argent over all an inverted chevron of chain counterchanged Argent, Sable, Argent. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[204]
A purple field as the main base with violet and green waves separated by parallel white lines underneath. A white stag and star holds the top left corner. Exmoor remains the only moorland with its own flag to this day. (Registered by the Flag Institute)[207] (Chosen by competition)[208]
The blue ensign defaced with the letters GNI. Used on vessels of the Northern Ireland government.
1924–1972
The Ulster Banner – Flag of the former Government of Northern Ireland between 1953 and 1972 and still used to represent Northern Ireland in some sporting events in which Northern Ireland competes. The flag is particularly associated with the loyalist and unionist communities in Northern Ireland.
A red saltire on a white field. Used to represent Ireland in the Union Jack and unofficially to represent Ireland from the Act of Union to the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
A White Ensign defaced in the centre of the cross with a garter of the Order of the Garter encircling the Royal Cypher of King George V and surmounted by a Tudor Crown.
1936–1952
King's Colour for the Royal Navy
A White Ensign defaced in the centre of the cross with a garter of the Order of the Garter encircling the Royal Cypher of King George VI and surmounted by a Tudor Crown.
1952–2022
Queen's Colour for the Royal Navy
A White Ensign defaced in the centre of the cross with a garter of the Order of the Garter encircling the Royal Cypher of Queen Elizabeth II and surmounted by a Saint Edward's Crown.
The cross of St. George quartered with the cross of St. Andrew and the Irish Harp, and surmounted by an escutcheon with Cromwell's personal coat of arms.
A banner of the Royal Coat of Arms of James I, first and fourth quarters representing England and the English claim to the French throne, second quarter representing Scotland, third quarter representing Ireland (This is the first time that Ireland has been represented on the Royal Standard).
A banner of the joint Royal Coat of Arms of William III and Mary II, consisting of the Coat of Arms of England defaced with an inescutcheon for the House of Nassau (representing William) and impaled with another undefaced version of the same Coat of Arms (representing Mary).
1694–1702
Royal Standard of King William III and II
A banner of the Royal Coat of Arms of William III, first and fourth quarters representing England and the English claim to the French throne, second quarter representing Scotland, third quarter representing Ireland, with an inescutcheon for the House of Nassau.
A banner of the Royal Coat of Arms of Queen Anne, first and fourth quarters representing (newly unified) England and Scotland, second quarter representing the British claim to the French throne, third quarter representing Ireland.
1714–1801
Royal Standard of Great Britain under the House of Hanover from 1714 to 1801
A banner of the Royal Coat of Arms of Great Britain, first quarter representing England and Scotland, second quarter representing the British claim to the French throne, third quarter representing Ireland, fourth quarter representing the Electorate of Hanover.
1801–1816
Royal Standard of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1816
A banner of the Royal Arms from the creation of the United Kingdom on 1 January 1801; first and fourth quarters for England and Wales, second Scotland, third Ireland, with an inescutcheon for the Electorate of Hanover.
A banner of the Coat of Arms of the Duke of Edinburgh, 1st quarter representing Denmark, 2nd quarter Greece, 3rd quarter the Mountbatten family, 4th quarter Edinburgh.
The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom defaced with a three-point label (with the second point charged with the Cross of St. George), quartered with the arms of Saxony.
Quarterly Or and Gules, four Lions passant guardant counter-charged langued and armed Azur
c. 1100 – c. 1400
Banner of the princely House of Mathrafal used during the early Middle Ages by the rulers of Powys, Powys Wenwynwyn and later by their heirs the de la Pole (Powysian) dynasty. Modern use is rare
Or a Lion rampant Gules langued and armed Azure
c. 1100 – c. 1300
Banner of the princely House of Dinefwr and the Kingdom of Deheubarth, a realm which covered much of south Wales. The banner would have been used during the early Middle Ages and later by the Talbot dynasty who inherited the arms. Modern use is rare
Gules a Lion rampant Or, a border engrailed of the last
Banner known as the Y Ddraig Aur or 'Golden Dragon' which has ancient origins. It was famously raised over Caernarfon during the Battle of Tuthill in 1401 by Owain Glyndŵr
Argent a dragon rampant Or
County flags
Flag
Date
Use
Description
pre–2007
Unofficial flag of Orkney
A red Nordic cross on a yellow field (the Cross of Saint Magnus). It was denied formal recognition by the Lord Lyon in 2001, due to similarity with other national flags, as well as the flag of the former Kalmar Union.
pre–2008
Unofficial flag of Lancashire
The Red Rose of Lancashire on a white field. It was denied registration by the Flag Institute, due to being almost identical to the already registered flag of the town of Montrose, Angus.
2018
Flag of Sutherland
A swooping eagle, seen face on, against a vertical bicoloured red and yellow background, with the eagle counterchanged yellow and red; At the hoist three stars or mullets. Was originally unveiled as the Flag of Sutherland in February 2018, but was placed on hold due to backlash from residents. A public vote beginning in October 2018 led to the retirement of this flag in favour of the current design.
^Historic: gold and purple Alternative: gold and red Registered: gold and burgundy
References
^ ab"About Us". College of Arms. Retrieved 22 December 2012. The College is also the authority for matters relating to the flying of flags, and holds the only official registers of flags for the UK and much of the Commonwealth.
^'For the avoidance of doubt and the sake of convenience, Garter King of Arms, under the authority of the Earl Marshal, has approved two versions of the Union flag as being accurate representations suitable for use. These are of the proportions 5:3, commonly flown on land; and 2:1, commonly flown at sea.': College of Arms: Union Flag approved designs
^Portrayed flying over Edinburgh Castle c. 1693 in a print by John Slezer in Theatrum Scotiae
^Described in 1707 by Henry St George as the Scotts union flagg as said to be used by the Scotts: de Burton, Simon (9 November 1999). "How Scots lost battle of the standard". The Scotsman. Johnston Press plc. Retrieved 30 June 2009.Partial view at Encyclopedia.com