The British Flag

A flag containing three other flags.

The Union JackThe Union Flag, popularly known as the *Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom. It is the British flag.

It is called the Union Flag because it symbolises the administrative union of the countries of the United Kingdom. It is made up of the individual Flags of three of the Kingdom's countries all united under one Sovereign - the countries of 'England, of 'Scotland' and of 'Northern Ireland' (since 1921 only Northern Ireland has been part of the United Kingdom). As Wales was not a Kingdom but a Principality it could not be included on the flag.

The following pages will tell you how the Union Flag (Union Jack) came to be the UK's national flag and the making of the United Kingdom.

The Making of the Union Flag St George - England

The National Flag of England

England is represented by the flag of St. GeorgeIn 1194 A.D., Richard I of England introduced the Cross of St. George, a red cross on a white

ground, as the National Flag of England.At this point in the story on the United Kingdom, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland were

separate countries. However, this was soon to change....In 1536, under Henry VIII, an Act of Union was passed making Wales, in effect a province of

England.

The Making of the Union Flag St Andrew - Scotland

The National Flag of Scotland

Scotland is represented by the flag of St. Andrew (a diagonal white cross form (a saltire) on a blue field)After Queen Elizabeth I of England died in 1603, King James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne and became King James I of England. It was a Union of the Crowns, but not yet of the nations. Each country still kept their own parliaments. Early in his reign James attempted to combine England and Scotland in a united kingdom of 'Great Britain'. This was the policy he presented to his first Parliament, called on 22 March 1604. The union was resisted. James defied them. On 20 October 1604 he proclaimed a new title for himself as 'King of Great Britain'.But what flag should be used?A problem arose, which flag should be hoisted on the king's ships. English sailors resented the Scottish colours and the Scots scorned the cross of St. George .

In 1606 the problem was solved ........

The Making of the Union Flag

The first Union Flag (1606)

A compromise was the answer and it led to the creation of the first Union Flag.

On 12 April 1606, the National Flags of Scotland and England were united for use at sea, thus making the first Union 'Jack'. Ashore however, the old flags of England and Scotland continued to be used by their respective countries.A royal decree declared that the ships of the Kingdom of Great Britain "shall bear on their maintops the red cross, commonly called St. George's cross, and the white cross, commonly called St. Andrew's cross.“When the red cross of England was put onto the flag of Scotland, a white border was added around the red cross for reasons of heraldry. (The rules of heraldry demanded that two colours must never touch each other.)

The Making of the Union Flag• On 28th July, 1707, during the reign of Queen Anne, this flag was

by royal proclamation made the National flag of Great Britain, for use ashore and afloat.

• The Act of Union of 1707, joined England and Scotland together, creating a single kingdom with a single Parliament called 'United Kingdom of Great Britain'.

• England Wales and Scotland were now united together under one monarch and one parliament.

• The Royal Navy christened the British flag " The Union".• Interesting Fact:• When the 'Union Flag' was first introduced, in 1606, it was known

simply as 'the British flag' or 'the flag of Britain'.• Nearly one hundred years later, another country was added to the

Union flag ...

The Making of the Union Flag

Northern Ireland - St Patrick

Ireland is represented by the cross of St. Patrick (a diagonal red cross on a white background.)

On 1 January 1801, Ireland was united with Great Britain and it became necessary to have a new National Flag in which Ireland was represented. The cross St Patrick was combined with the Union Flag of St George and St Andrew, to create the Union Flag that has been flown ever since.

The Making of the Union Flag+

The cross of St. Patrick was inserted so the position given to St. Andrew's Cross in one quarter was the same as that given to the Irish one in the diagonally opposite quarter; in heraldry this is known as "counterchanging"

The Making of the Union Flag

The Union Flag with the St. George's Cross removed showing how the saltires (diagonal crosses) are counterchanged.The 'new' British flag is not symmetrical because of the counterchange.As Scotland joined the Union nearly two hundred years before Ireland, St Andrew's Cross was placed uppermost in the top quarter nearest the flagstaff, this being the most honourable position according to heraldry, while the Irish Cross was given the second most honourable position, the top quarter of the fly.In order to avoid having the red of the Irish Cross directly upon the blue field of the Scottish one an edging of the white field of the Irish Cross is used.The symbols of Scotland and Ireland are placed side by side on the Union Flag.

The Making of the Union Flag

England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland were now all joined together and called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The name was later changed to United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland when the greater part of Ireland left the United Kingdom in 1921.

NB. The St. Patrick's Cross remains in the flag even though today only Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom.

The Making of the Union FlagThe formation of the Union Flag (Union Jack) came about as the result of the progressive merging of the inhabitants of the British Isles under one throne.1603 - King James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne and became King James I of England.1606 - the National Flags of Scotland and England were united for use at sea, thus making the first Union Flag1707 - during the reign of Queen Anne, the first Union Flag was by royal proclamation made the National flag of Great Britain, for use ashore and afloat.1801 - Ireland was united with Great Britain and the present Union Flag was formed.The Union Flag consists of the three heraldic crosses of St George, St Andrew and St Patrick. The flags of the Patron Saints of England, Scotland and Ireland are represented on the Union Flag. But, why is Wales not represented on the Union Flag?

To summarize...

The Making of the Union FlagWales

Why doesn't the Welsh dragon appear on the Union Flag?

The Welsh dragon does not appear on the flag because when the first Union Flag was created in 1606, Wales was already united with England from the 13th century. This meant that Wales a Principality instead of a Kingdom and as such could not be included.In 1536, under Henry VIII, the Act of Union joined England and Wales officially.

The Making of the Union Flag What would the Union Flag look like if Wales was represented?

In November 2007, a Welsh MP, Ian Lucas, asked parliament why Wales is not represented in the Union Jack. Of course, we have the answer here on our website, but what if Wales was represented, what would the flag look like?

Below you can see Ian Lucas' version of the Union flag with Wales represented:

Does the Union Flag as we know it, have a future?

The Future of the UK's FlagAt the moment, the countries representing the UK, are still united under one flag. How long this will be so, no one knows. Even now, each of the countries which form the United Kingdom, is fighting for its own independence.

For the first time since 1707, the Scots now have their own Parliament in Edinburgh, and the Welsh their own national assembly in Cardiff. As a result, the Scottish saltire and the red dragon of Wales are much more in evidence. Is the Union Flag (Union Jack) on its way out?

In 1997, British Airways decided to scrub the Union Flag off the tails of its airliners and replace it with pictures of jackals from Africa and other ethnic designs. Its chief executive, Bob Ayling, said that the airline was no longer a British company with global operations, but a global company that happened to be headquartered in Britain: “We are proud to have been born and raised in Britain,” he explained. “But we want to show Britain as modern, not imperial...We still have our Beefeaters, but we now lead the world in restaurants and in fashion.”

In 2003, a campaign was launched to try and modernise the red, white and blue flag by adding a touch of black to reflect multicultural Britain in the 21st Century. The proposed new flag (see right) was the work of Nigel Turner, an enthusiastic fan of the UK's transformation into a multiracial society over the past 50 years. The campaign was NOT successful.

The Future of the UK's Flag2007 More teenagers see themselves as English, Scottish or Welsh rather than British

A YouGov poll carried out by the Daily Telegraph in 2007 found that fewer than one third of today's teenagers instinctively think of themselves as British rather than English, Scottish or Welsh. But, pressed to say whether they also think of themselves as British, the great majority say yes. Only 10 per cent of the teenage sample, many of them Scots, reject a British identity altogether.

Most people want the United Kingdom broken up An ICM poll published by the Daily Mail in 2007 suggested that majorities of voters in both Scotland and England now want the countries to split.The Future?Will the Union flag be replaced by four separate flags or will all the flags and the Union Jack, be replaced by something else?

Only time will tell.

The Future of the UK's FlagHow to fly the Union Flag correctly

How can you tell if it is upside down?

Correct Way Wrong way

Please don't fly the Union flag the wrong way up!

The broader (wider) diagonal white stripe should be at the top

on the side of the flag nearest the flagpole.

The UK flag is NOT entirely symmetrical! You can rotate the flag and it still will be the right way up but you can't invert it (not refective symmetry).Look at the white diagonals and you will see why.On the side next to the flagpole, (the hoist side), the thick white band is above the red band on both diagonals, the white band being part of the cross of St Andrew, the Scottish flag and the red band being part of the cross of St Patrick, the Irish flag. To deliberately fly the flag upside down is a signal indicating a situation of 'DISTRESS'. It is also "lese Majeste" (which means: insulting the Crown), and is theoretically still a crime in the UK and its commonwealth!

Flag InformationHow high is a flag at "half mast"? It is not half way up the flag pole, as you might have expected, but the height of the flag from the top of the pole. The practice of half-masting a flag arose to serve cases of the death of a sailor on the ship. The flag was half-masted to inform other vessels that the crew were mourning their shipmate, and hence a polite request that they not be disturbed. After the committal, the flag was raised to full staff, to indicate that the mourning period was ended.

When is the Union Flag Flown? The Union Flag is flown on government buildings on days marking:the birthdays of members of the Royal family, Commonwealth Day, Coronation Day, The Queen's official birthday, Remembrance Day and on the days of the State Opening and prorogation of Parliament.It is also flown on St David's Day (Wales), St George's Day (England), St Andrew's Day (Scotland), and St Patrick's Day (Northern Ireland).