The History Of The Union Flag… & When To Fly It!
Posted by Ian Temple-Heald on
Instantly recognisable, the Union Flag (also known as the Union Jack) can trace its origins back an impressive 400 years and the early 17th century, when the Kingdom of Great Britain was established after Queen Elizabeth I died without leaving an heir.
At this time, England and Scotland carried on life as independent countries in their own right and arguments soon arose over flag designs. King James VI of Scotland (also King James I of England) settled the matter by proclaiming that the St George’s Cross (in red) and the St Andrew’s Cross (in white) be joined together to be borne at sea.
Fast forward to the early 19th century and the new United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was established by an Act of Union, with the College of Arms designing a new flag to include Ireland, with a red saltire (now known as the cross of St Patrick) on white that counter-changed with the St Andrew’s cross.
When should you fly the Union Flag?
There are many dates throughout the year when it’s appropriate to fly the Union Flag, including the birthdays of the Duchess of Cambridge and the Countess of Wessex on January 9th and 20th respectively, May the 6th for the coronation of King Charles III, June 21st for the birthday of the Prince of Wales, July 17th for the birthday of the Queen Consort, November 9th for Remembrance Sunday… and the list goes on!
There are also times when the flag would be flown at half mast, such as funerals of members of the Royal Family, funerals of foreign rulers (as directed by the sovereign) and funerals of prime ministers and former prime ministers (again, upon sovereign command).
If you’re looking for Union Jacks or any other national flags, we have them in stock in three different types: sewn, printed and budget. All you have to do is browse the United Flags site to see what you can find!