Flag of the United Kingdom – Colors, Meaning, History ??
The United Kingdom (UK) was formed from the unification of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. The current flag, also known as the Union Jack or Union Flag, is a representation of this unification. It was adopted on January 1, 1801, and consists of a red cross for St George, the Patron of England, superimposed on the white cross of St. Patrick, the patron of Ireland. Moreover, the two crosses are superimposed on the saltire of St. Andrew, the patron of Scotland.
The only region not represented in the flag is Wales because the flag was designed when the country was not part of the UK. The UK banner is one of the most recognized flags in the world. It is not only a symbol of the UK’s rich history but also a symbol of unity and diversity of the three territories that make up the region.
Table of Contents
- History of the flag of the United Kingdom
- What is the meaning behind the colors of the Flag of the United Kingdom?
- Interesting Facts about the Flag of the United Kingdom
History of the Flag of the United Kingdom
The flag of the UK was designed from a combination of three historical flags. The first flag to be hoisted in the region was in 1603 when the English and Scottish crowns unified. James VI of Scotland became the King of England and also ruled over Ireland as James I. In 1606, King James proclaimed the adoption of one flag that would represent the UK. This flag consisted of a blue field with the red cross of England Superimposed on the white cross of Scotland. The origin of the red cross of England dates back to the time of the crusaders when Henry II ventured on a crusade in 1188 and used a banner that consisted of a white cross on a red background. At some point, this color combination was reversed and red crosses became the norm during the reign of Edward I in the 1270s.
St. George was a famous warrior saint in England, and King Edward III appreciated him for his valor in the crusades. Edward praised George for his involvement at the Battle of Crécy and gave George a unique role as the patron saint of the Order of the Garter in 1348. Since then, St. George’s banner that consisted of a white field, and a red cross became popular. During the English Reformation, all religious flags were banned except that of St. George. This banner became a fixed symbol in the hoist of the Royal standard. It is also argued that the flag of St.George was inspired by Genoa, a great city in Italy, with powerful maritime and robust Christian roots. The flag of England and the flag of Genoa are the same. Therefore, it is believed that the English monarchs paid tribute to the ruler of the Republic of Genoa until the collapse of the city.
The flag of Scotland that was combined with the flag of England also has a long history. This flag consisted of a blue field with a white saltire. The white cross that appears diagonally is believed to be the shape of the cross on which st. Andrew was crucified. As a result, it was known as ‘the Cross of St. Andrew.’ In heraldry, a red on blue was not allowed. Therefore, when King James ordered the unification of the Scottish and English flag, the Red Cross had to appear in a white field.
In 1606, Wales was considered part of England. The cross of St. George was taken to represent Wales as well. During the Commonwealth and Protectorate era of 1649 to 1960, the Irish harp was introduced in the flag. However, in 1660, the harp was removed under Charles II. In 1800, the Act of the Union unified the Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland together. This unification resulted in the incorporation of the cross of St. Patrick, whose flag consisted of a diagonally placed red cross on a white field.
The association of the red saltire to St. Patrick dates back to 1780 when the order of St. Patrick adopted it as their banner. This order was established in 1783 by George III. The use of St. Patrick’s saltire is controversial as most Irish nationalists reject its use to represent the territory on the Union Jack. It is important to note that Ireland was not added immediately to the flag. This is because Ireland did not officially become part of the UK until 1801. However, in 1922, Ireland separated from the Union and became a sovereign state with Northern Ireland retaining its British status.
The designers of the flag had to superimpose the crosses without defacing the individual crosses. The heraldic advisers of the King solved this issue by diagonally dividing the white cross of St. Andrew with the red appearing below the white on the hoist at half of the flag and above it on the other half. A white fimbriation was added on the red cross to separate it from the blue field. Additionally, a white border separated the cross of St. Patrick from the cross of St. George. The current flag of the UK has been in use from 1801 up to date.
The Union Jack is a symbol of the UK all over the world. In fact, the Union Jack is incorporated into the flags of Commonwealth nations such as New Zealand, Tuvalu, and Australia. It also appears in the United States, state of Hawaii, and in three Canadian provinces (Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia), and some Australian states (New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, and Western Australia).
What is the meaning behind the colors of the Flag of the United Kingdom?
Colors
Ancient and Heraldic traditions associate the colors of the flag with deep symbolism.
- White was a symbol of purity, truth, and innocence
- Red symbolized military strength, martyrdom, and warriorhood
- Blue signified loyalty, faith, honesty, and power
Nonetheless, the precise meaning of the colors of the flag are:
- White represents peace and honesty
- Red symbolizes bravery, strength, and valor
- Blue represents vigilance, justice, loyalty, and perseverance
Shape
The flag has a width to length ratio of 3:5. The superposition of the crosses of the three saints on the flag is quite intricate. For instance, the cross of St. George consists of a width that is one-fifth the height of the flag, while the white border of the cross is one-fifteenth the height of the flag. Moreover, the St. Andrew cross is 1/5th the width measured perpendicularly based on the diagonal. The measurement of the diagonal starts from the top hoist corner, 3/30th of the diagonal is white, 2/30th is red, and 1/30th is white. These dimensions apply irrespective of the length of the flag. If the flag has the popular 3:5 proportion, then the dimensions of the St. Patrick cross do not appear as quadrilaterals but appear cut off.
Interesting Facts about the Flag of UK
- There are instances when the flag is flown upside down as a sign of distress. However, this is considered offensive to some.
- The flag is hoisted on St.Patrick’s day, St.Andrew’s Day, and the opening of Parliament.
- The UK flag is also incorporated on civil and military flags as a canton. For instance, it appears in the upper left corner of a blue field on the government ensign of the United Kingdom. Additionally, it also appears on the top left corner of a red ensign on a red area of the civil ensign of the United Kingdom.
- The flag of Welsh consists of bi-colors white and green horizontal stripes with a red dragon at the center. However, this flag is not represented in the flag of the UK as Wales has always been considered to be part of England.
- Whereas the flag is popularly known as the Union Jack, the official name is Union Flag, unless it is used at sea. The ‘Jack’ name refers to a national maritime flag flown at the head of a ship. The origins of the name ‘Union Jack’ are unknown. However, historians trace its use to Queen Anne’s time (r. 1702-14).
- The UK does not have an official code on how to treat the flag. As a result, it is common to see outfits or fashion apparel, umbrellas, with the Union Jack. Also, there are no specifications on how to correctly fold the flag.
- To the simple eye, the Union Flag appears symmetrical. However, it is not. If you get the chance to turn the flag around, you will spot the difference.
- Apart from the white field flag with the red cross for England, the region had an alternative flag. This flag consisted of a red field with a white dragon at the center.
- The adoption of the Union Flag back in 1606 was not well received for a long time. The English resented the idea that the white background on their flag had disappeared, and the cross of St. George appeared on a blue field. The Scottish also disliked the idea that the English Red Cross was superimposed on the Swedish white cross.
- The Union Flag was restricted for use at sea until 1707, when Scotland and England were officially united.
- It is popular to find a Union Jack of other colors as there are no strict regulations concerning the flag.
Do you know any other interesting facts about the flag of the United Kingdom? Share your thoughts below.
