Union Jack

The terms Union Jack and Union Flag are both used historically for describing the national flag of the United Kingdom. {{image frame Initially, the flag was termed the 'British flag' or 'flag of Britain', and the term 'Union' first appeared in 1625. Examples occur in both Chaucer and Langland though the form is unknown in Old English. The two were combined in the Middle Dutch , whence Middle French and Middle English . Jack came to be used to identify all manner of particularly small objects or small versions of larger ones. The Oxford English Dictionary has definition III.21 "Something insignificant, or smaller than the normal size" and gives examples from 1530 to 2014 of this usage. The jack was flown in the bows or from the head of the spritsail mast to indicate the vessel's nationality: "You are alsoe for this present service to keepe in yor Jack at yor Boultspritt end and yor Pendant and yor Ordinance" The Union Flag when instantiated as a small jack became known as the "Union Jack" and this later term transferred to more general usage of the Union Flag. Also later a short flagpole was placed in the bows of a ship to fly the jack, this became known as the jackstaff. According to the Flag Institute, a membership-run vexillological charity, "the national flag of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories is the Union Flag, which may also be called the Union Jack." The institute has also stated: Notwithstanding Their Lordships' circular of 1902, by 1913 the Admiralty described the "Union Flag" and added in a footnote that "A Jack is a Flag to be flown only on the 'Jack' Staff". However, the authoritative A Complete Guide to Heraldry published in 1909 by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies uses the term "Union Jack". The term "Union Flag" is used in King Charles I's 1634 proclamation: and in King George III's proclamation of 1 January 1801 concerning the arms and flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland: When the first flag representing Britain was introduced on the proclamation of King James I in 1606, Reinforcing the distinction the King's proclamation of the same day concerning the arms and flag of the United Kingdom (not colours at sea) called the new flag "the Union Flag". The size and power of the Royal Navy internationally at the time could also explain why the flag was named the "Union Jack"; considering the navy was so widely utilised and renowned by the United Kingdom and colonies, it is possible that the term jack occurred because of its regular use on all British ships using the jackstaff (a flag pole attached to the bow of a ship). The name may alternatively come from the 'jack-et' of the English or Scottish soldiers, or from the name of James I who originated the first union in 1603. Even if the term Union Jack does derive from the jack flag, after three centuries, it is now sanctioned by use and has appeared in official use, confirmed as the national flag by Parliament and remains the popular term. Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945, referred to the flag of the United Kingdom as the Union Jack. In March 1899, Churchill wrote to his mother from India about her plans to produce a new trans-Atlantic magazine, to be called The Anglo-Saxon Review. The drawing at the end of this letter was deliberately facetious, teasing her for going down-market, and in the accompanying letter he wrote, "Your title 'The Anglo Saxon' with its motto 'Blood is thicker than water' only needs the Union Jack & the Star Spangled Banner crossed on the cover to be suited to one of Harmsworth's cheap Imperialist productions." More recently, Reed's Nautical Almanac (1990 edition) unambiguously stated: "The Union Flag, frequently but incorrectly referred to as the Union Jack, ..." and later: "8. The Jack – A small flag worn on a jackstaff on the stem of Naval Vessels. The Royal Navy wears the Union Flag ... This is the only occasion when it correct to describe the flag as the Union Jack". However, this assertion does not appear in any Reed's Nautical Almanac since 1993. In the 2016 Reed's Nautical Almanac, the only entry where this might appear, section 5.21, covering Flag Etiquette, does not include this statement. Within the Almanac, neither the Union Flag nor the Union Jack are included pictorially or mentioned by name. For comparison with another anglophone country with a large navy, jack of the United States specifically refers to the flag flown from the jackstaff of a warship, auxiliary or other U.S. governmental entity. The ''Butcher's Apron'' is a pejorative term for the flag, common amongst Irish republicans, citing the blood-streaked appearance of the flag and referring to atrocities committed in Ireland and other countries under British colonial rule. In 2006, Sandra White, a Member of the Scottish Parliament, caused a furore when the term was used in a press release under her name. It was later blamed on the actions of a researcher, who resigned yet claimed that the comment had been approved by White. The Irish folk band the Wolfe Tones has a song entitled "The Butcher's Apron" which makes reference to the term. In the Chinese language, the flag has the nickname Rice-Character Flag (; Mandarin Pinyin: , Cantonese Jyutping: ) because the pattern looks similar to the Chinese character for "rice" (). == Design ==

The current flag's design has been in use since 1801. Its original blazon, as decreed by George III of the United Kingdom on 1 January 1801, reads: the Union flag shall be azure, the crosses-saltires of St. Andrew and St. Patrick quartered per saltire counter changed argent and gules; the latter fimbriated of the second [viz., argent]; surmounted by the cross of St. George of the third [viz., gules], fimbriated as the saltire [viz., argent]. Specification The Union Jack is normally twice as long as it is tall, a ratio of 1:2. In the United Kingdom, land flags are normally a ratio of 3:5; the Union Jack can also be made in this shape, but is 1:2 for most purposes. In 2008, MP Andrew Rosindell proposed a Ten Minute Rule bill to standardise the design of the flag at 3:5, but the bill did not proceed past the first reading. The three-component crosses that make up the Union Jack are sized as follows: • The red St George's Cross width is of the flag's height with a flag height fimbriation • The white diagonal St Andrew's Cross width is of the flag's height, visible on either side of the St Patrick's Cross in diagonals of and of the flag's height, respectively. • The red diagonal St Patrick's Cross width is of the flag's height. It is offset by of the flag's height in an anti-clockwise direction. According to the official blazon of 1801, the white diagonal St Andrew's Cross is in fact counterchanged with the red diagonal of St Patrick's Cross. In this interpretation, the width of both saltires is of the flag's height, with fimbriations of of the flag's height on either side of the red saltire. The crosses and fimbriations retain their thickness relative to the flag's height whether they are shown with a ratio of 3:5 or 1:2. Height here is the distance from top to bottom which in vexillology is termed width or breadth. Ratios The Admiralty in 1864 settled all official flags at proportions of 1:2, but the relative widths of the crosses remained unspecified, with the above conventions becoming standardised in the 20th century. In the 19th century, the Union Flag was defined by the same blazon but could vary in its geometrical proportions. Although the most common ratio is 1:2, other ratios exist. The Royal Navy's flag code book, BR20 Flags of All Nations, states that both 1:2 and 3:5 versions are official. In the 3:5 version, the innermost points of the lower left and upper right diagonals of the St Patrick's Cross are cut off or truncated. The Garter King of Arms also suggests a ratio of 3:5 as the suitable proportion for a Union Flag flown on land. The war flag used by the British Army has the proportions 3:5. The King's Harbour Master's flag, similar to the Pilot Jack, is a 1:2 flag that contains a white-bordered Union Flag that is longer than 1:2. The jacks of ships flying variants of the Blue Ensign are square and have a square Union Flag in the canton. Colours Although the proclamation of 1801 did not specify colours beyond azure, argent and gules (blue, silver/white and red, respectively), the Garter King of Arms, under the authority of the Earl Marshal, has approved the below shades as an accurate representation: Flying The flag does not have reflection symmetry due to the slight pinwheeling of the St Patrick's and St Andrew's crosses, technically the counterchange of saltires. Thus, there is a correct side up. It is one of two national flags with two-fold rotational symmetry, symmetry group C2, the other being the flag of Trinidad and Tobago. The original specification of the Union Flag in the royal proclamation of 1 January 1801 did not contain a drawn pattern or express which way the saltires should lie; they were simply "counterchanged" and the red saltire fimbriated. Nevertheless, a convention was soon established which accords most closely with the description. The flag was deliberately designed with the Irish saltire slightly depressed at the hoist end to reflect the earlier union with Scotland, giving as it were seniority to the Saint Andrew's cross. When statically displayed, the hoist is on the observer's left. To fly the flag correctly, the white of St Andrew is above the red of St Patrick in the upper hoist canton (the quarter at the top nearest to the flag-pole). This is expressed by the phrases wide white top and broadside up. An upside-down flag must be turned over to be flown correctly; rotating it 180 degrees will still result in an upside-down flag. The first drawn pattern for the flag was in a parallel proclamation on 1 January 1801, concerning civil naval ensigns, which drawing shows the red ensign (also to be used as a red jack by privateers). As it appears in the London Gazette, the broad stripe is where expected for three of the four quarters, but the upper left quarter shows the broad stripe below. ==History==

In 1603, James VI of Scotland inherited the Kingdom of England (and the newly created client state, the Kingdom of Ireland) as James I, thereby uniting the crowns in a personal union. With Wales annexed into the Kingdom of England under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542, James now ruled over all of the island of Great Britain, which he frequently described as a unified kingdom (though the parliaments of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland did not actually unify until the Kingdom of Great Britain was formed in 1707). Various other designs for a common flag were drawn up following the union of the two Crowns in 1603, but were rarely, if ever, used. One version showed St George's Cross with St Andrew's Cross in the canton, and another version placed the two crosses side by side. A painted wooden ceiling boss from Linlithgow Palace, dated to about 1617, depicts the Scottish royal unicorn holding a flag where a blue Saltire surmounts the red cross of St. George. 1606–1801 On 12 April 1606, a new flag to represent the regal union between England and Scotland was specified in a royal decree, according to which the flag of England (a red cross on a white background, known as St George's Cross), and the flag of Scotland (a white saltire on a blue background, known as the saltire or St Andrew's Cross), would be joined together, Flying the national flag at the mainmast had signified the Admiral of the Narrow Seas (the English Channel) and confusion arose. In 1634, King Charles I restricted its use to Royal Navy ships. The original flag appears in the canton of the Commissioners' Ensign of the Northern Lighthouse Board. This is the only contemporary official representation of the pre-1801 Union Jack in the United Kingdom and can be seen flying from their George Street headquarters in Edinburgh. It is this version of the Union Jack that formed the canton of the Continental Union Flag, the "de facto" first national flag of the United States from July 1776 to June 1777. flagship during the Glorious First of June, 1794. As was common for the period, the flag is an approximation of the correct specification ''Lord Howe's action, or the Glorious First of June'', painted in 1795, shows a Union flying from on the "Glorious First of June" 1794. The actual flag, preserved in the National Maritime Museum, is a cruder approximation of the proper specifications; this was common in 18th and early 19th century flags. The flag is also flown beside Customs House in Loftus Street, Sydney, to mark the raising of the Union Jack by Captain Phillip at Sydney Cove, the site of the first British settlement in New South Wales and Australia in 1788. On the plaque it is referred to as the "Jack of Queen Anne". The flag of the British Army is the Union Jack, however in 1938 a "British Army Non-Ceremonial Flag" was devised, featuring a crowned golden lion, statant guardant, surmounting the royal crown, overlying two crossed swords on a red background, (the word "Army" in gold letters sometimes appears below this motif). This is not the equivalent of the ensigns of the other armed services but is used at recruiting and military or sporting events, when the army needs to be identified but the reverence and ceremony due to the regimental flags and the Union Jack would be considered inappropriate. Scottish Union Flag In objecting to the design of the Union Flag adopted in 1606, whereby the cross of Saint George surmounted that of Saint Andrew, a number of owners and masters of merchant vessels in the Kingdom of Scotland raised the issue with John Erskine, 19th Earl of Mar, and were encouraged by him to send a letter of complaint to James VI, via the Privy Council of Scotland, which stated: Although documents accompanying this complaint which contained drafts for alternative designs have been lost, evidence exists, at least on paper, of an unofficial Scottish variant, whereby the Scottish cross was uppermost. There is reason to think that cloth flags of this design were employed during the 17th century for unofficial use on Scottish vessels at sea. This flag's design is also described in the 1704 edition of The Present State of the Universe by John Beaumont, which contains as an appendix The Ensigns, Colours or Flags of the Ships at Sea: Belonging to The several Princes and States in the World. Edinburgh Castle depicting the Scottish Union flag On land, evidence confirming the use of this flag appears in the depiction of Edinburgh Castle by John Slezer, in his series of engravings entitled Theatrum Scotiae, c. 1693. Appearing in later editions of Theatrum Scotiae, the North East View of Edinburgh Castle engraving depicts the Scotch (to use the appropriate adjective of that period) version of the Union Flag flying from the Palace block of the Castle. On The North Prospect of the City of Edenburgh engraving, the flag is indistinct. On 17 April 1707, two weeks prior to the Acts of Union coming into effect, and with Sir Henry St George, the younger, the Garter King of Arms, having presented several designs of flag to Queen Anne and her Privy Council for consideration, the flag for the soon to be unified Kingdom of Great Britain was chosen. At the suggestion of the Scots representatives, the designs for consideration included that version of Union Jack showing the Cross of Saint Andrew uppermost; identified as being the "Scotts union flagg as said to be used by the Scotts". However, the Queen and her Council approved Sir Henry's original effort, numbered "one". for Ireland. This is counterchanged with the saltire of St Andrew, such that the red always follows the white clockwise. The arrangement has introduced a requirement to display the flag "the right way up" (see specifications for flag use above). As with the red cross, so too the red saltire is separated by a white fimbriation from the blue field. Though remaining within the United Kingdom, the new government of Northern Ireland dispensed with the St Patrick's Saltire in favour of a new flag derived from the coat-of-arms of the Burkes, Earls of Ulster, and quite similar to England's St George's Cross. Ultimately, when the British home secretary was asked on 7 December 1922 (the day after the Irish Free State was established) whether the Garter King of Arms was "to issue any Regulations with reference to the national flag consequent to the passing of the Irish Free State Constitution Act", the response was no and the flag has never been changed. A Dáil question in 1961 mooted raising the removal of the cross of St Patrick with the British government; Frank Aiken, the Irish Minister for External Affairs, declined to "waste time on heraldic disputations". 21st century added in the centre The lack of any Welsh symbol or colours in the flag is a result of Wales having been considered an integral part of the Kingdom of England at the time the flag of Great Britain was created in 1606. Since there is no Welsh element in the Union Jack, Wrexham's Labour MP Ian Lucas proposed on 26 November 2007 in a House of Commons debate that the Union Flag be combined with the Welsh flag to reflect Wales's status within the UK, and that the red dragon be added to the Union Flag's red, white, and blue pattern. He said the Union Jack currently only represented the other three UK nations, and Minister for Culture, Creative Industries and Tourism Margaret Hodge conceded that Lucas had raised a valid point for debate. She said, "the Government is keen to make the Union Flag a positive symbol of Britishness reflecting the diversity of our country today and encouraging people to take pride in our flag." This development sparked design contests with entries from all over the world. In the run-up to the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, various non-official suggestions were made for how the flag could be redesigned without the St Andrew's Cross if Scotland left the Union. However, as Scotland voted against independence, the issue did not arise. In September 2025, the England flag and the Union Jack became increasingly visible in the UK, in what was described as a "flag phenomenon". The first major display occurred in Weoley Castle, a neighbourhood of largely postwar council stock homes, before spreading to other parts of Birmingham in response to the 'proliferation' of Palestine flags. The phenomenon drew media attention after local authorities in Birmingham and York ordered the removal of British flags while allowing Palestine flags to remain, prompting public backlash and accusations of political double standards. ==Status in the United Kingdom==

The Union Jack is used as a jack by commissioned warships and submarines of the Royal Navy, and by commissioned army and Royal Air Force vessels. When at anchor or alongside, it is flown from the jackstaff at the bow of the ship. When a ship is underway, the Union Jack is only flown from the jackstaff when the ship is dressed for a special occasion, such as the King's official birthday. The Union Flag is worn at the masthead of a ship to indicate the presence of an Admiral of the Fleet, former First Sea Lords and Admirals who are or have been Chief of Defence Staff. On the day on which a court-martial is to sit, the Union Flag is to be hoisted at the peak or at the yardarm as appropriate and a gun is to be fired when colours are hoisted, or at the time the signal is made if the court is ordered to sit immediately. The Royal Standard is flown when the Sovereign embarks in a warship. When other members of the Royal family embark they fly their own personal standard, which is usually a modified version of the Royal Standard. No law has been passed making the Union Jack the national flag of the United Kingdom: it has become one through precedent. Its first recorded recognition as a national flag came in 1908, when it was stated in Parliament that "the Union Jack should be regarded as the National flag". A more categorical statement was made by Home Secretary Sir John Gilmour, in 1933 when he stated that "the Union Flag is the national flag and may properly be flown by any British subject on land." , 2012 Civilian use is permitted on land, but use of the unmodified flag at sea is restricted to military vessels. Unauthorised use of the flag in the 17th century to avoid paying harbour duties – a privilege restricted to naval ships – caused James's successor, Charles I, to order that use of the flag on naval vessels be restricted to His Majesty's ships "upon pain of Our high displeasure." to display the Union Flag (other than the "pilot jack" – see below) from a British ship. Naval ships will fly the white ensign, merchant and private boats can fly the red ensign, others with special permission such as naval yacht clubs can fly the blue ensign. All of the coloured ensigns contain the union flag as part of the design. The Court of the Lord Lyon, which has legal jurisdiction in heraldic matters in Scotland, confirms that the Union Jack "is the correct flag for all citizens and corporate bodies of the United Kingdom to fly to demonstrate their loyalty and their nationality." On 5 February 2008, Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Andrew Rosindell introduced the 'Union Flag Bill' as a private member's bill under the 10 Minute Rule in the House of Commons. The Bill sought to formalise the position of the Union Flag as the national flag of the UK in law, to remove legal obstacles to its regular display. The Bill did not receive its second reading by the end of that parliamentary session. The Bill stated "Union flag (commonly known as the Union Jack)" in subsection 1(1), but otherwise uses the term "Union Flag". Flag days In July 2007, prime minister Gordon Brown unveiled plans to have the Union Flag flown more often from government buildings. While consultation on new guidelines was under way, the decision to fly the flag could be made by each government department. In March 2021, the UK government published new guidance for the Union Flag to be flown all year round on UK government buildings, unless another flag is being flown, such as another national flag of the UK, a county flag, or other flags to mark civic pride. Previously, the flag was generally only flown on public buildings on days marking the birthdays of members of the royal family, the wedding anniversary of the monarch, Commonwealth Day, Accession Day, Coronation Day, the monarch's official birthday, Remembrance Sunday, and on the days of the State Opening and prorogation of Parliament. Non-government organisations were (and are) permitted to fly the Union Flag whenever they choose. Current guidance from the UK Government, first published in February 2013 and last updated in January 2026, states that governmental buildings in the UK are encouraged to fly the Union Flag all year round. It also specifies specific days when the flag must be flown from these buildings. , the specified set of days when the Union Flag must be flown from government buildings throughout the UK are: On 30 November, St Andrew's Day, the Union Flag can be flown in Scotland only where a building has more than one flagpole—on this day the Saltire will not be lowered to make way for the Union Flag if there is only one flagpole. This difference arose after members of the Scottish Parliament complained that Scotland was the only country in the world that could not fly its national flag on its national day. However, on 23 April, St George's Day, it is the Union Flag of the United Kingdom that is flown over UK government offices in England. Usage and disposal The Union Flag has no official status in the United Kingdom, and there are no national regulations concerning its use or prohibitions against flag desecration. In Northern Ireland, the Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 provide for the flying of the flag on government buildings on certain occasions, when it is flown half-mast, and how it is displayed with other flags. The Flags and Heraldry Committee, an all-party parliamentary group lobbying for official standards, cooperated with the Flag Institute in 2010 to publish a set of recommended guidelines for the flag's display and use as a symbol. There is no specific way in which the Union Flag should be folded. It is usually folded rectilinearly, with the hoist on the outside, to be easily reattached to the pole. Royal Navy Stores Duties Instructions, article 447, dated 26 February 1914, specified that flags condemned from further service use were to be torn up into small pieces and disposed of as rags, not to be used for decoration or sold. The exception was flags that had flown in action: these could be framed and kept on board, or transferred to a "suitable place", such as a museum. British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies The Union Jack is the national flag of the British Overseas Territories, which are parts of the British realm with varying degrees of local autonomy. Most populated administrative regions and territories of the United Kingdom have been granted a unique flag for the locality, usually the Blue ensign or Red ensign defaced with the distinguishing arms of the territory. All fly the Union Jack in some form, with the exception of Gibraltar (other than the government ensign). The Crown Dependencies, unlike the British Overseas Territories, are legally not part of the United Kingdom, and the Union Jack is not an official flag there. Outside the UK, the Union Jack is usually part of a special ensign in which it is placed in the upper left hand corner of a blue field, with a signifying crest in the bottom right. When the Union Jack and the territorial flag are flown together, the national flag is always arranged to take precedence over the territorial flag. ==Status outside the United Kingdom==

Australia and Union Jack hung vertically from Australia's Parliament House, 1931 The Union Flag was used formally as the Australian national flag until 1953, having official precedence over the Australian Blue Ensign, though the latter was used by government and informally. Schools were encouraged to fly the Union Jack to encourage patriotism for the British Empire, with South Australia requiring students from 1911 to 1956 to fly the Union Jack for the "national salute". Over time, the blue ensign came to be used and embraced as the national flag, officially being designated as the Australian National Flag in 1953 with the passage of the Flags Act. Due to the sensitivity of those who still considered the Union Jack the national flag, the act specified that it did "not affect the right or privilege of a person to fly the Union Jack". Additionally, Australian prime minister Robert Menzies told Australians that the Union Flag would be flown together with the Australian national flag "on notable occasions". The Union Jack continued to see informal use as a flag of Australia for a period thereafter, although by the 1980s, the majority of Australians viewed the Australian blue ensign as the national flag as opposed to the Union Jack. Canada at the Canada-U.S. border, 1899. The Union Flag was the formal flag of Canada until 1965. The Union Jack was the official national flag of Canada until 1965 when it was replaced in that role by the Maple Leaf flag. Since 1965, the Union Jack in Canada is used as an authorised symbol to represent Canada's "membership in the Commonwealth of Nations and its allegiance to the Crown". History The Union Jack has been used in a variety of colonies in British North America since its official adoption in 1707, In 1867, the British North American colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the Province of Canada were united to form the Canadian Confederation; with the Union Jack being retained as the official flag of the new "confederation". However, on the following day, the Canadian parliament passed another resolution that designated the Union Flag as the Royal Union Flag and authorised its official use as the symbol of the country's membership in the Commonwealth of Nations and its allegiance to the Crown. Protocol on Commonwealth Day in 2022 The parliamentary resolution passed on 18 December 1964 assigned two purposes for the Royal Union Flag: a flag representing the United Kingdom and an official ceremonial flag of Canada. New Zealand pose in front of the flag of the United Tribes of New Zealand and the Union Jack, 1889 The Union Flag became the flag of New Zealand after the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in February 1840, replacing the flag used by the United Tribes of New Zealand. The issue of flying the flag of the United Tribes alongside the Union Jack, as a symbol of their equal standing with the colonial government, was a factor that led to the Flagstaff War, led by Ngāpuhi chief Hōne Heke. However, the Union Flag continued to see tandem use with the national flag of New Zealand into the 1950s. The act went into effect on 31 May 1928. Instructions issued in 1931 confirmed the places where both flags were to be flown. In addition to those already mentioned, they were the Union Buildings in Pretoria, the head offices of the four provincial administrations, the supreme courts, certain magistrates' courts, customs houses, and three buildings in Durban (the general post office, the railway station, and the local military district headquarters). The was replaced by the flag of South Africa in 1994 as the country's national flag. Use outside the Commonwealth Movements in countries not a part of the Commonwealth of Nations have adopted the Union Flag as a flag of protest. Hong Kong , during the 2014 new year march in Hong Kong The Union Flag was formerly used in Hong Kong when it was a British Dependent Territory. Official use of the Union Flag and the British colonial Hong Kong flag ceased following the handover of Hong Kong to China in July 1997. In the 2010s, the Union Flag, along with the colonial flag of Hong Kong began to see use by supporters of the pro-democracy camp during the 2014 Hong Kong protests, and the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests. The flag has been displayed at other pro-democracy events in Hong Kong, including the new year marches and the 1 July marches. Members of the Hong Kong Autonomy Movement, the Hong Kong independence movement and Hong Kong localists have been seen wielding the Union Flag or the colonial flag of Hong Kong. Some pro-democracy protestors that flew foreign flags, including the Union Flag, did so in an effort to attract international media attention to the protests, while others did so in an effort to irritate the central government of China. The Union Flag, in addition to other foreign flags, were also used by some protestors to illustrate their desire for Hong Kong to be an "international city"; whereas others used the flag simply as a generic symbol of freedom. Some specifically flew the Union Flag and the colonial flag of Hong Kong, nostalgic of the "values" of the previous colonial government, namely "personal freedoms, rule of law, [and] clean governance". Other pro-democracy protestors choose to use the Union Flag and the colonial flag of Hong Kong in an effort to call upon the British government to declare that China had failed to uphold the Sino-British Joint Declaration. ==Use in other flags==

National and regional flags from 1910, with the ensigns and emblems of several British dominions and colonies displayed As the national flag of the entire British Realm, the Union Flag was found in the canton (upper flagpole-side quarter) of the flags of many colonies of Britain, while the field (background) of their flags was the colour of the naval ensign flown by the particular Royal Navy squadron that patrolled that region of the world. Nations and colonies that have used the Union Flag at some stage have included Aden, Basutoland (now Lesotho), Barbados, Bechuanaland (now Botswana), Borneo, Burma, Canada, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Cyprus, Dominica, British East Africa (Kenya Colony), Gambia, Gold Coast (Ghana), Grenada, Guiana, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Labuan (Malaysia), Lagos, Malta, Mauritius, Nigeria, Palestine, Penang (Malaysia), Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somaliland, South Africa, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Pre-partitioned India (present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar), Tanganyika, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, the United States, and Weihaiwei. As former British Empire nations were granted independence, these and other versions of the Union Flag were decommissioned. The most recent decommissioning of the Union Flag came on 1 July 1997, when the former Dependent Territory of Hong Kong was handed over to the People's Republic of China. Four former British colonies in Oceania which are now independent countries incorporate the Union Jack as part of their national flags: Australia, New Zealand and Tuvalu, which have retained the monarchy; and Fiji, which abolished the monarchy in 1987. In former British colonies, the Union Jack was used interchangeably with informal flags of the territory for significant parts of their colonial early history. The Union Flag was used as the flag of Canada until it was re-adopted as a ceremonial flag, and the Maple Leaf flag made the official national flag in 1965. In addition to being an official ceremonial flag, the Union Flag also defaces the flags of a number of Canadian provinces, including British Columbia, Manitoba, and Ontario. Newfoundland and Labrador uses a flag that was derived from the Union Flag, with the Union Jack serving as the flag of Newfoundland until 1980. The Union Flag, and flags defaced with the Union Flag in its canton, similar to the Canadian Red Ensign, continue to see use in Canada in a private capacity. The pre-1801 Union Flag also sees limited use by private organisations, most notably the United Empire Loyalists Association of Canada. Along with the national flag, many other Australian flags retain the use of the Union Jack, including the Royal Australian Navy Ensign (also known as the Australian White Ensign), the Royal Australian Air Force Ensign, the Australian Red Ensign (for use by merchant and private vessels), and the Australian Civil Aviation Ensign. The flags of all six Australian states retain the Union Jack in the canton, as do some regional flags such as the Upper and Lower Murray River Flags. The vice-regal flags of the state governors also use the Union Jack. While the Flags Act 1953 states that Australians still have the "right or privilege" to fly the Union Jack after the introduction of the Australian national flag, usage of the Union Jack by itself is unusual. The unofficial flag of Lord Howe Island harks to the pre-1801 Union Jack. The Basque Country's flag, the Ikurriña, is also loosely based on the Union Jack, reflecting the significant commercial ties between Bilbao and Britain at the time the Ikurriña was designed in 1894. The Miskito people sometimes use a similar flag that also incorporates the Union Jack in its canton, due to long periods of contact in the Mosquito Coast. The Union Jack was used by the United States in its first flag, the Continental Union Flag. This flag was of a similar design to the one used by the British East India Company. The historical Kingdom of Hawaii adopted a flag featuring a Union Jack which was retained when Hawaii became a US state in 1959. Hawaii's flag represents the only current use of the Union Jack in any American state flag. Also in the United States, the Union Flag of 1606 is incorporated into the flag of Baton Rouge, the capital city of Louisiana. Baton Rouge was a British colony from the time of the Seven Years' War until the end of the American Revolutionary War, when it was captured by Spanish forces. Symbols from the colonial powers France and Spain are also incorporated into the Baton Rouge flag. Taunton, Massachusetts, uses a defaced Red Ensign variant featuring the old-style Union Jack and has since 1974, as does Weymouth Township, New Jersey. Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, has been known to fly a flag containing the King's Colours since 1973. The Union Jack also appeared on both the 1910–1928 and 1928–1994 flags of South Africa. The 1910–1928 flag was a Red Ensign with the Union coat of arms in the fly. The 1928–1994 flag, based on the Prinsenvlag and commonly known as the oranje-blanje-blou (orange-white-blue), contained the Union Jack as part of a central motif at par with the flags of the two Boer republics of the Orange Free State and Transvaal. To keep any one of the three flags from having precedence, the Union Jack is spread horizontally from the Orange Free State flag towards the hoist; closest to the hoist, it is in the superior position but since it is reversed it does not precede the other flags. The present flag of South Africa features a nod to the Union Jack in its red, white and blue portion, the colours also harking to the South African Republic and the Dutch tricolour. The flag of the Municipal Council of Shanghai International Settlement in 1869 contained multiple flags to symbolise the countries have participated in the creation and management of this enclave in the Chinese city of Shanghai. The Union Jack was contained as part of top left hand shield and close to the flags of the United States and France, there was also contained the flag of Prussia nearby, but it was removed around 1917. The flag of the Chilean city of Coquimbo features the Union Jack, owing to its historical commercial links to Britain. Ensigns The Union Flag can be found in the canton of several of the ensigns flown by vessels and aircraft of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, and on land at locations associated with the organisation which the ensign represents, for example government offices, military establishments, etc. These are used in cases where it is illegal or inappropriate to fly the Union Flag, such as at sea from a ship other than a British warship. Normal practice for British ships is to fly the White ensign (Royal Navy), the Red ensign (Merchant and private boats) or the Blue ensign (government departments and public corporations). Similar ensigns are used by other countries (such as New Zealand and Australia) with the Union Flag in the canton. Other Commonwealth countries (such as India and Jamaica) may follow similar ensign etiquette as the UK, replacing the Union Flag with their own national flag. {{gallery|mode=nolines|whitebg=y|height=100 Others The flag in a white border occasionally seen on merchant ships was sometimes referred to as the Pilot Jack. It can be traced back to 1823 when it was created as a signal flag, but not intended as a civil jack. A book issued to British consuls in 1855 states that the white bordered Union Flag is to be hoisted for a pilot. Although there was some ambiguity regarding the legality of it being flown for any other purpose on civilian vessels, its use as an ensign or jack was established well in advance of the 1864 Act that designated the Red Ensign for merchant shipping. In 1970, the white-bordered Union Flag ceased to be the signal for a pilot, but references to it as national colours were not removed from the current Merchant Shipping Act and it was legally interpreted as a flag that could be flown on a merchant ship, as a jack if desired. This status was confirmed to an extent by the Merchant Shipping (Registration, etc.) Act 1993 and the consolidating Merchant Shipping Act 1995 which, in Section 4, Subsection 1, prohibits the use of any distinctive national colours or those used or resembling flags or pendants on Her Majesty's Ships, "except the Red Ensign, the Union flag (commonly known as the Union Jack) with a white border", and some other exceptions permitted elsewhere in the Acts. However, Section 2 regards the "British flag", and states that "The flag which every British ship is entitled to fly is the Red Ensign (without any defacement or modification) and, subject to (a warrant from Her Majesty or from the Secretary of State, or an Order of Council from her Majesty regarding a defaced Red Ensign), no other colours." The Flag Institute listed the white bordered Union Flag as "Civil Jack". An unofficial flag for the British Empire was created around 1910 due to a belief that the Union Jack itself no longer sufficiently represented dominions such as Canada, which were beginning to adopt their own unique symbols. The flag was similar in design to a White Ensign, which features the Union Jack in the canton. In the other quadrants were the coats of arms of Canada, Australia, and South Africa. The four stars forming the Crux over Saint George's Cross represented New Zealand, and the Star of India was featured prominently in the middle. Civilians often flew Empire flags for patriotic events such as coronations, Empire Day, and the British Empire Exhibition. It is still flown on special occasions at the Dangarsleigh War Memorial. The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) and East India Company were two of only a few non-government institutions using the Union Jack in part of their flags. HBC rival North West Company had a similar flag to that of the HBC. The HBC Red Ensign was in use from 1801 to 1965 and was replaced with a corporate flag featuring the company's coat of arms. The East India Company, founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874, used a red and white striped flag featuring, firstly, the flag of England, then flag of Great Britain and ultimately the flag of the United Kingdom in the canton. The Union Jack is the third quarter of the 1939 coat of arms of Alabama, which is used on the flag of the governor of Alabama, representing British sovereignty over the state prior to 1783. The version used is the modern flag, whereas the 1707 flag would have been used in colonial Alabama. A pink Union Jack, with the blue triangles of the Union Jack changed to pink in reference to the pink triangle symbol, was created by a gay man, David Gwinnutt, to express his "pride in being gay and British." In the former International Settlement of Kulangsu the Kulangsu Municipal Police had a badge contained multiple flags, including the Union Flag. The badge was incorporated into their police flag. File:Hudsons Bay Company Flag.svg|Former Hudson's Bay Company flag File:Flag of the British East India Company (1801).svg|1801-1874 version of the East India Company flag File:British Empire flag (1930).svg|The unofficial British Empire flag incorporated dominion symbols File:Gay Pride flag of the United Kingdom.svg|A pink Union Jack ==In popular culture==

of the Spice Girls wearing a remake of the Union Jack dress she wore at the 1997 Brit Awards The Union Jack remains one of the most instantly-recognisable flags in the world. This is chiefly due not only to its unusual design, but the influence of British culture across the globe as a result of the British Empire, and its resulting presence in several Commonwealth nations' flags and heraldry. While most of the former colonies of the British Empire have chosen to omit the Union Jack in their national flags, some countries such as Australia and New Zealand have chosen to keep the Union Jack as a symbol of their British heritage, despite numerous attempts to change it. The Union Flag has been a prominent symbol in the sphere of fashion since the British Invasion movement of the 1960s, in a similar manner to the American Stars and Stripes flag, and came back into fashion in the mid-1990s 'Cool Britannia' era, notably Noel Gallagher's Union Jack Epiphone Sheraton II electric guitar, and Geri Halliwell's dress at the 1997 Brit Awards. A notable increase in popularity was seen in Cuba following the 2012 London Olympics, with clothing, nail decoration, tattoos, and hairstyles in youths being observed featuring the pattern. The flag became a common symbol in the underground UK rap scene in the 2020s. A hypothetical Union flag design appears in the Ubisoft published action adventure game titled Watch Dogs: Legion, where following Scottish independence from the United Kingdom, the colour of the Union flag is altered to reflect the absence of the Azure (blue) field of the flag of Scotland, which is replaced by the Sable (black) field of the Flag of Saint David, patron saint of Wales. The Or (gold) cross of Saint David forms a fimbriated border to the Gules (red) cross of Saint George. Subsumation in corporate branding Commonly the Union Flag is used on computer software and Internet pages as an icon representing a choice of the English language where a choice amongst multiple languages may be presented to the user, though the American flag is also sometimes used for this purpose. The flag has been embroidered on various Reebok equipment as a mark of the brand's British origin, and the Reebok Union Jack has been referred to as a brand icon. Many music artists have used the Union Jack, including the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Kinks, the Jam, Sex Pistols, the Stone Roses, David Bowie, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Freddie Mercury, Morrissey, Oasis, Blur, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, and the Spice Girls. British Airways painted a cropped Union Flag on their tail fins until 1984; from 1997 on, they started painting a stylised, fluttering Union Flag on tail fins, nicknamed Chatham Dockyard Union Flag. The coat of arms of British Airways also features the escutcheon cropped from the Union Flag. British Airways used the coat of arms on their aircraft via the Landor livery between 1984 and 1997 and added back in 2011; they also used it as cap badge for pilots or in advertisements. The BMW Mini tail lights are shaped after the Union Jack. File:British Airways tails lined up at LHR Terminal 5B Iwelumo.jpg|British Airways aircraft bearing Chatham Dockyard Union Flag tail art File:Mini F56 2019-02-02.jpg|Rear of a Mini Hatch, with "Union Jack" tail lights File:Revival Union Jack Roberts Radio (Model RD60).jpg|A Roberts Revival radio with a Union Jack livery File:DfT GBR livery mockup December 2025.png|Proposed Great British Railways livery, adopting a stylised Union Flag ==Gallery==

Union Flag variants 1606–1801 Union Flag in folk art File:GillrayBritanniaArtic.jpg|alt=Satirical cartoon has flag with light blue cross and saltire on white background, and light blue cross in top-left quarter of flag.|The pennant flying on Britannia's boat in this 1793 James Gillray cartoon is considerably different from the present flag. File:A-Block-for-the-Wigs-Gillray.jpeg|A different style of the Union flag appears again in another cartoon by Gillray File:Side by side - Britannia! Britain's Day Dec. 7th 1918 - James Montgomery Flagg 1918 ; American Lithographic Co. N.Y. LCCN2002712329 (cropped).jpg|Side by side – Britannia! 1918 lithograph by James Montgomery Flagg, showing Uncle Sam and Britannia with a Union Jack shield Union Flag images File:Union Flag and St Georges Cross.jpg|Union Jack and Flag of England File:Pre-1801 Union Flag at Fort York, Toronto.JPG|Pre-1801 Union Jack, Fort York, Toronto File:Flags outside Parliament.jpg|The Union Jack, Flag of Scotland and Flag of Europe at the Scottish Parliament Building File:Commissioners' ensign of Northern Lighthouse Board - geograph.org.uk - 926250.jpg|Pre-1801 Union Flag on Commissioner's Ensign of the Northern Lighthouse Board File:Scottish Union Flag - detail.JPG|17th Century Scottish Union Jack, (unofficial), at Lennoxlove House File:Civil Union Jack on a jackstaff.jpg|Civil Jack - A Union Jack with a white border File:Flagging (227021784).jpg|Union Jack rendered in pink, associated with Pride (LGBTQ) culture File:Flying the Flag, Portsmouth Harbour, Hampshire - geograph.org.uk - 3214926.jpg|Union Jack flying from the jackstaff of a Royal Navy vessel File:Soldier Waving Armed Forces Day Flag MOD 45158489.jpg|Armed Forces Day banner incorporating the Union Flag File:The Union Flag - A Rare Sight Nowadays - geograph.org.uk - 277602.jpg|Union Jack and Flag of Wales at Caernarfon Castle File:St Patricks Day, Belfast, March 2015 (44).JPG|Unionist demonstrators in Belfast displaying the Union Flag, Ulster Banner and Saint Patrick's Saltire File:Lieutenant Governor of Jersey car standard.jpg|Lieutenant Governor of Jersey car standard - A Union Jack defaced with the Arms of Jersey File:Enniskillen Cathedral of St. Macartin Regimental Colours Royal Irish Regiment IV 2012 09 17.jpg| Military colours of certain British Army regiments can take the form of a Union Flag defaced with regimental badge and battle honours File:US Navy 090723-N-5476H-263 The Honorable Linda Lingle, governor of the state of Hawaii proudly displays the Hawaii state flag aboard the Virginia-class attack submarine USS Hawaii (SSN 776).jpg|Flag of Hawaii featuring the Union Flag in the canton file:BC-flag.jpg|Flag of British Columbia showing a Union Flag, defaced with a gold crown, in the upper division ==See also==