Flag of the United Kingdom
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Image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland uses as its national flag the Royal Banner commonly known as the Union Flag or Union Jack. The current design of the Union Flag dates from the union of Ireland and Great Britain in 1801. It consists of a blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland). Its correct proportions are 1:2. However, the version officially used by the British Army modifies the proportions to 3:5.
The history, current status, and nomenclature of the Union Flag, and its use other than as a flag for the United Kingdom (for example, in Australia), are treated more fully under the article Union Jack.
Flag Days
The Flag is only flown on public buildings as decided by Department for Culture, Media and Sport or on the command of the British monarch. Currently the flag is flown on days marking the birthdays of members of the Royal family, the Wedding anniversary of the monarch, Commonwealth Day, Accession Day, Coronation Day, The Queen's official birthday, Remembrance Sunday and on the days of the State Opening and prorogation of Parliament. On the news of the death of a member of the Royal family, the flag will be flown at half mast.
The current flag days where the Union Flag should be flown all over the UK are:
- January 20 (Birthday of the The Countess of Wessex)
- February 6 (Anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II)
- February 19 (Birthday of The Duke of York)
- Second Sunday in March (Commonwealth Day)
- March 10 (Birthday of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex)
- April 21 (Birthday of Queen Elizabeth II)
- May 9 (Europe Day)
- June 2 (Anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II)
- June 10 (Birthday of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
- June (no fixed date)- Offical Birthday of Queen Elizabeth II
- July 17 (Birthday of the Duchess of Cornwall)
- August 15- (Birthday of the Princess Royal)
- Second Sunday in November (Remembrance Sunday)
- November 14 (Birthday of The Prince of Wales)
- November 20 (Anniversary of the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh)
In addition, the UK should be flown in the following areas on specified days:
- March 1- (Wales only for Saint David's Day)
- April 23- (England only for Saint George's Day)
- November 30- (Scotland only for Saint Andrew's Day)
- The Day of the Opening of a Session of the Houses of Parliament (Greater London area only)
- The day of the prorogation of a Session of the Houses of Parliament (Greater London area only)
There is no specified day for March 17 (Saint Patrick's Day) in Northern Ireland.
See also
- Union Jack
- List of British flags - a list of flags used within the United Kingdom.
- Flag Institute
External links
bg:Национално знаме на Обединеното кралствоes:Bandera del Reino Unido fr:Drapeau du Royaume-Uni he:דגל בריטניה it:Bandiera britannica ko:영국의 국기 nn:Det britiske flagget pl:Flaga Wielkiej Brytanii pt:Bandeira do Reino Unido zh:英国国旗