List of British flags
This is a list of flags used by and in the United Kingdom and related territories.
Contents |
National Flags
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1801 - present | Union Flag, popularly known as the Union Jack, used as the Flag of the United Kingdom | A superposition of the Flags of England, Scotland, and St Patrick's Flag of Ireland |
 | c1300 | Flag of England, also known as the St George's Cross | A red cross on a white field |
 | 1783 - 1922 | Flag of Ireland, also known as the St Patrick's Cross, or the Saltire | A red saltire on a white field |
 | 1924 - 1972 | Flag of Northern Ireland, also known as the Ulster Banner | A red cross on a white field defaced with a red hand, crowned on a six pointed white star (representing the six counties in Northern Ireland) |
 | c900 | Flag of Scotland, also known as the St Andrew's Cross, or the Saltire | A white saltire on a blue field |
 | 1959 | Flag of Wales, also known as the Red Dragon or Y Ddraig Goch | A red dragon, passant, on a green and white field |
Ensigns
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Blue Ensign, used by some organisations or territories associated with the UK | A blue field, with a Union Flag in the canton | |
 | Red Ensign, used by the Merchant Navy | A red field, with a Union Flag in the canton | |
 | White Ensign, used by ships bearing the prefix, HMS, and the Royal Yacht Squadron | A red cross on a white field with the Union Flag in the canton | |
 | Civil Air Ensign, used by civilian aircraft | A blue and white cross on a light blue field with the Union Flag in the canton | |
 | RAF Ensign, used by the Royal Air Force | A RAF light blue field with the Royal Air Force roundel in the fly with a Union Flag in the canton |
Royal Standards
Queen Elizabeth II
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1837 | The Royal Standard, as used in England, Wales and Northern Ireland | A banner of the Queen's Arms, the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom |
 | c.1930 | The Royal Standard, as used in Scotland | A banner of the Queen's Arms, the Royal Arms in Scotland |
 | 1952 | Personal Flag of Queen Elizabeth II, used by the Queen in her capacity as Head of the Commonwealth | A crowned letter 'E' in gold, surrounded by a garland of gold roses on a blue background |
 | 1323 | Royal Standard of the Kings and Queens of Scots | A lion rampant within a double tressure flory counter-flory on a yellow field. |
Standards of the Prince of Wales
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Standard of the Prince of Wales, used in England and Northern Ireland | A banner of the Coat of Arms of the Prince of Wales, the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom with an inescutcheon bearing the Royal Arms of Wales. | |
 | Standard of the Duke of Cornwall | 15 golden circles on a black field | |
 | Standard of the Duke of Rothesay | Banner of the Duke's Arms, 1st and 4th quarters representing the title of Great Steward of Scotland, the 2nd and 3rd quarters representing the title of Lord of the Isles. In the centre is an inescutcheon, of the arms of the heir apparent to the King of Scots | |
 | 1962 - | Standard of the Prince of Wales, used in Wales | A banner of the Coat of Arms of the Principality of Wales |
Other members of the Royal Family
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1948 | Standard of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh | 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 |
 | 2000 | Standard of HRH Prince William of Wales | Banner of the Prince's Coat of Arms, the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom with a three point label, the centre label bearing an Escallop in reference to the arms of Diana, Princess of Wales |
 | 2002 | Standard of HRH Prince Harry of Wales | Banner of the Prince's Coat of Arms, the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom with a five point label, the first, centre and fifth labels bearing an Escallop in reference to the arms of Diana, Princess of Wales |
 | 1978 | Standard of HRH The Duke of York | Banner of the Duke's Coat of Arms, the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom with a three point label, the centre label bearing a blue anchor |
 | Standard of HRH The Earl of Wessex (banner as used in Scotland shown) | Banner of the Earl's Coat of Arms, the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom with a three point label, the centre label bearing a Tudor Rose | |
 | Standard of HRH The Princess Royal | 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. | |
 | Standard of HRH The Duke of Gloucester | 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. | |
 | Standard of HRH The Duke of Kent | 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. | |
 | Standard of HRH Prince Michael of Kent | 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. | |
 | Standard of HRH Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy | Banner of the Princess'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 heart, the second and fourth labels bearing a blue anchor. |
Others
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Flag used by the Lord-Lieutenants, the sovereign's representative in the counties of the United Kingdom | The Union Flag, defaced with a sword, crowned. | |
 | Standard of the Duchy of Lancaster | The Royal Standard of England, with a three point label, each containing three fleurs-de-lis | |
 | Standard of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports | A banner of the Lord's coat of arms featuring three Lions passant guardant con-joined to these hulls, all in gold |
Military Flags and Ex-services Flags
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| | Ensign of the Royal Navy | The White Ensign | |
 | Non Ceremonial Flag of the British Army | A red field defaced with the badge of the British Army. | |
| | 1921 | Ensign of the Royal Air Force | A light blue ensign defaced with the Royal Air Force roundel |
 | Joint Service Flag | A dark blue, red and light blue tricolour defaced with the Joint Service badge. | |
 | Ensign of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary | A blue ensign defaced with a yellow anchor | |
| Flag of the Royal British Legion | A blue ensign with a yellow band across the middle with the words British Legion and the name of the branch | ||
 | Flag of the Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom | A fouled anchor on a crimson background |
Government
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Ensign of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise | A Blue Ensign defaced with the badge of HM Customs and Excise | |
 | Ensign of Her Majesty's Coastguard | A blue ensign defaced with the badge of HM Coastguard | |
 | Ensign of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency | A blue ensign defaced with the badge of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency | |
 | Ensign of the Commissioners of the Northern Lights | A blue ensign defaced with a lighthouse | |
 | Northern Lighthouse Board Commissioners Flag | 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.[1] This flag is only flown from vessels with the Commisioners aboard. | |
 | Flag of the Metropolitan Police | The Badge of the Metropolitan Police on a blue background, with white squares at the edge |
Church
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Flag of the Church of Scotland | The flag of Scotland with the burning bush in the centre | |
 | Flag of Westminster Abbey | Tudor arms between Tudor roses, above Edward the Confessor's arms | |
 | Flag of the Church in Wales | ||
 | 1878 | Standard of the Salvation Army |
Diplomatic Flags
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Flag used on British Embassies (High Commissions fly the Union Jack) | A Union Flag with an inescutcheon of the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom | |
 | Flag used on British consulates | A Union Jack with an inescutcheon of a crown | |
 | Flag used onboard British consular vessels | A blue ensign with the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom |
Channel Islands (Crown Dependencies)
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Flag of Alderney | A red cross on a white field with an inescutcheon of the island's coat of arms | |
 | 1985 | Flag of Guernsey | A golden cross within a red cross on a white field |
 | Flag of Herm | A red cross on a white field with the coat of arms of the island in the canton | |
 | Flag of Jersey | A red saltire on a white field defaced with the island's badge | |
 | Flag of Sark | A red cross on a white field with two lions in the canton. Strictly speaking, this is the personal flag of the Seigneur. |
Isle of Man (Crown Dependency)
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1226 | Flag of the Isle of Man | A triskelion on a red field |
Overseas territories
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| | Flag used in Akrotiri and Dhekelia and Ascension Island | The Union Flag is used as no territory flag exists | |
 | Flag of Anguilla | A blue ensign defaced with the Coat of Arms of Anguilla | |
 | Flag of Bermuda | A red ensign defaced with the Coat of Arms of Bermuda | |
 | 1963 - | Flag of the British Antarctic Territory | A white ensign defaced with the Coat of Arms of British Antarctic Territory |
 | 1990 | Flag of the British Indian Ocean Territory | A blue ensign with white wavy lines, defaced with the Coat of Arms of British Indian Ocean Territory. |
 | Flag of British Virgin Islands | A blue ensign defaced with the Coat of Arms of British Virgin Islands | |
 | Flag of Cayman Islands | A blue ensign defaced with the Coat of Arms of Cayman Islands | |
 | Flag of Falkland Islands | A blue ensign defaced with the Coat of Arms of Falkland Islands | |
 | Flag of Gibraltar | 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 | |
 | Flag of Montserrat | A blue ensign defaced with the Coat of Arms of Montserrat | |
 | Flag of Pitcairn Island | A blue ensign defaced with the Coat of Arms of Pitcairn Island | |
 | Flag of Saint Helena | A blue ensign defaced with the Coat of Arms of Saint Helena | |
 | 1985 - | Flag of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | A blue ensign defaced with the Coat of Arms of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands |
 | Flag of Tristan da Cunha, a dependancy of Saint Helena | A blue ensign defaced with the Coat of Arms of Tristan da Cunha. | |
 | Flag of Turks and Caicos Islands | A blue ensign defaced with the Coat of Arms of the Turks and Caicos Islands |
Regional
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Flag of Bedfordshire | ||
 | Saint Piran's Flag, the Flag of Cornwall | A white cross on a black field | |
 | 2006- | Flag of Derbyshire (unofficial) | A green cross with a white border on a sky blue field, with a gold Tudor rose in the centre. |
 | Flag of Devon , St Petrock's flag | A white cross with a black border on a green field. | |
 | Flag of Durham | A red cross with white trimming on a black field | |
 | Flag of Essex | ||
 | Flag of Hampshire | ||
 | 2005- | Flag of Lincolnshire (unofficial) | A red cross with yellow trimming on a blue and green field, and a yellow fleur de lys in the middle of the cross. |
 | Flag of the City of London | A red cross on a white field, with a red sword in the canton | |
 | Flag of Mercia (pagan) | A white dragon was the original pagan banner of Mercia; it remained in use during the Christian period as well. | |
 | Flag of Mercia (Christian) | A gold saltire on a blue field (Cross of St Alban); the Christian flag of the Kingdom of Mercia, still flown on Tamworth Castle. | |
 | Flag of Northumberland | Eight yellow rectangles on a red field, note that the canton (top corner nearest the flagpole) should be gold. | |
 | Flag of Orkney | A red Nordic cross on a yellow field | |
 | Flag of Shetland | A white Nordic cross on a light blue field | |
 | Flag of Wessex | A gold wyvern on a red field. | |
 | Flag of the Isle of Wight | detail taken from the shield in island's Arms | |
 | Flag of Yorkshire | A White Rose on a dark blue field. |
Others
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Unofficial Cornish ensign | ||
 | Flag of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution | A red cross with a blue border on a white field, with the letters RNLI in red in each quarter, defaced with a crowned anchor | |
 | 2002 - | Flag of the Commonwealth Games Federation | |
 | Flag of the St Johns Ambulance Brigade | ||
 | Flag of Saint David | A gold cross on a black field | |
 | Unofficial Flag of the Ulster Nation | Proposed by Ulster nationalists. |
Historical Flags
National Flags and Ensigns
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1707 - 1801 | Flag of the Kingdom of Great Britain | First version of the Union Flag, the Flags of England and Scotland superimposed. |
 | 1707 - 1801 | Flag of the Kingdom of Great Britain (Scottish version) | The Union Flag used in Scotland. |
 | 1620 - 1707 | English Blue Ensign | A blue ensign with the Flag of England |
 | Scottish Red Ensign, used by the Royal Scottish Navy | A red ensign with the Flag of Scotland in the canton | |
 | 1707 - 1801 | Blue Ensign of Great Britain | The Blue Ensign with the first version of the Union Flag |
 | 1707 - 1801 | Red Ensign of Great Britain | The Red Ensign with the first version of the Union Flag |
 | 1649 - 1658 | Flag of the Commonwealth of England | St. George's Cross and an Irish Harp juxtaposed. |
 | 1658 - 1660 | Flag of the Commonwealth of England | The 1606 Union Jack defaced with an Irish Harp. |
Royal Standards
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1406 - 1603 | Royal Standard of England, used first by King Henry IV | The Coat of Arms of England quartered with the Royal Standard of France, the Fleur-de-lis representing the English claim to the French throne. |
| 1814 - 1837 | Royal Standard of the House of Hanover from 1814 to 1837 | A banner of the Royal Coat of Arms of King George III, first and fourth quarters 3 lions representing England, 2nd quarter representing Scotland, third quarter representing Ireland, with an inescutcheon for Hanover | |
 | 1936 - 2002 | Standard of Queen Elizabeth, consort of King George VI | The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom impaled with the Arms of the Earl of Strathmore |
 | 1911 - 1953 | Standard of Queen Mary, consort of King George V | The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom impaled with the Arms of Prince Francis, Duke of Teck (the Queen's father) and Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (the Queen's maternal grandfather) |
 | 1901 - 1928 | Standard of Queen Alexandra, consort of King Edward VII | The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom impaled with the Arms of the King of Denmark. |
 | Standard of Princess Alice of Albany | The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom with a five point label, the first, second, fourth and fifth labels bearing a red heart, the third label bearing a red cross |
Other
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1600 - 1858 | Flag of the English/British East India Company | 4 white and 5 red stripes with the St George's Cross in the canton. |
 | 1707 - 1858 | Flag of the British East India Company | 6 white and 7 red stripes with the Union Flag of Great Britain in the canton. Accepted to be the inspiration for the Grand Union Flag that eventually evolved into the Flag of the United States. |
 | 1801 - 1858 | Flag of the British East India Company | 6 white and 7 red stripes with the Union Flag of the United Kingdom in the canton. |
 | Flag of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | The Union Flag defaced with the Coat of Arms of Ireland | |
 | Green Ensign |
See Also
- Gallery of flags based on British ensigns
- List of English flags
- List of Scottish flags
- List of Irish flags
- List of Welsh flags
External links
- The Flag Institute
- World Flag Database
- Royal.gov.uk- The Union Flag
- UK Department of Culture- Ceremonial and Flag Flying
| Flags of the United Kingdom |  | |
| UK |  National flag (Union Flag) |  Royal Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Home Nations |  England |  Scotland |  Northern Ireland |  Wales | |
| Ensigns |  Blue Ensign |  Red Ensign |  White Ensign |  Royal Air Force Ensign | |
Overseas territories: Anguilla | Bermuda | British Antarctic Territory | British Indian Ocean Territory | British Virgin Islands | Cayman Islands | Falkland Islands | Gibraltar | Montserrat | Pitcairn Islands | Saint Helena | South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | Tristan da Cunha | Turks and Caicos Islands
Crown dependencies: Guernsey (Alderney) | Jersey | Isle of Man
Lists of flags
| Master list | |
|---|---|
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Categories
Flags of the United Kingdom | Lists of flags | United Kingdom-related lists