View source for Union Jack

{{short description|Flag of the United Kingdom}}
{{Redirect|Union Flag|other uses|Union flag (disambiguation)|and|<!--other uses of Union Jack|-->Union Jack (disambiguation)}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox flag
| Name = United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| Image = Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg
| Alt = The Union Jack: a red cross over combined red and white saltires, all with white borders, over a dark blue background.
| Use = 111000
| Symbol = {{FIAV|Normal}} {{FIAV|111000}}
| Proportion = 1:2
| Adoption = {{plainlist|
* 1606 (origin)
* 1707 (first version officially adopted)
* {{start date and age|1801|1|1|df=yes}} (current version with St Patrick's Saltire adopted)
}}
| Design = Blue field on which the [[Flag of Scotland|Cross of Saint Andrew]] [[counterchanged]] with the [[Cross of Saint Patrick]], over all the [[St George's Cross|Cross of Saint George]] [[fimbriation|fimbriated]].
| Image2 = Flag of the United Kingdom (3-5).svg
| Nickname2 = Alternative 3:5 ratio
| Use2 = 
| Symbol2 = {{FIAV|alternate}}
| Proportion2 = 3:5
}}

The '''Union Jack'''<ref name="Flag Institute terminology">{{cite web|url=http://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/british-flags/the-union-jack-or-the-union-flag/ |title=The Union Jack or The Union Flag? |publisher=The Flag Institute |date=20 June 2014 |access-date=3 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/Symbols/UnionJack.aspx |title=Union Jack |website=The British Monarchy |access-date=12 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130630062430/https://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/Symbols/UnionJack.aspx |archive-date=30 June 2013 }}</ref> or '''Union Flag''' is the [[national flag]] of the [[United Kingdom]].

The flag consists of the red [[St George's Cross|cross of Saint George]] (the [[patron saint]] of [[England]]), edged in white, [[Superimposition|superimposed]] on the red [[Saint Patrick's Saltire|saltire of Saint Patrick]] (the patron saint of [[Ireland]]), also edged in white, superimposed on the [[Flag of Scotland|saltire of Saint Andrew]] (the patron saint of [[Scotland]]). [[Wales]] is not represented in the flag by Wales's patron saint, [[Saint David]], because the flag was designed while Wales was part of the [[Kingdom of England]].

The origins of the flag date to the earlier [[flag of Great Britain]] which was established in 1606 by a [[proclamation]] of King [[James VI and I]] of [[Kingdom of Scotland|Scotland]] and [[Kingdom of England|England]].<ref>[[Arthur Charles Fox-Davies|A.C. Fox-Davies]], ''[[The Art of Heraldry: An Encyclopædia of Armory]]'' (1904, reprinted 1986, {{ISBN|978-0-906223-34-5}}), p. 399: "By the King: Whereas, some differences hath arisen between Our subjects of South and North Britaine travelling by Seas, about the bearing of their Flagges: For the avoiding of all contentions hereafter. We have, with the advice of our Council, ordered: That from henceforth all our Subjects of this Isle and [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Kingdome of Great Britaine]], and all our members thereof, shall beare in their main-toppe the [[Flag of England|Red Crosse]], commonly called [[St George's Cross]]e, and the [[Flag of Scotland|White Crosse]], commonly called [[Flag of Scotland|St Andrew's Crosse]], joyned together according to the forme made by our [[herald]]s, and sent by Us to our Admerall to be published to our Subjects: and in their fore-toppe our Subjects of South Britaine shall weare the Red Crosse onely as they were wont, and our Subjects of North Britaine in their fore-toppe the White Crosse onely as they were accustomed"|James VI and I|[[Orders in Council]]; Official creation of the Union Flag – 1606."</ref> The present design was established by an [[Order in Council]] following the [[Acts of Union 1800|Act of Union 1800]], which joined the [[Kingdom of Great Britain]] and the [[Kingdom of Ireland]] to create the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland]]. It was unchanged following the secession of the [[Irish Free State]] in 1922.

It is sometimes asserted that the term ''Union Jack'' properly refers only to naval usage, but this assertion was dismissed by the [[Flag Institute]] in 2013 after historical investigations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/british-flags/the-union-jack-or-the-union-flag/ |first=Bruce |last=Nicolls |title=The Union Jack or The Union Flag? |website=The Flag Institute |access-date=19 December 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Broadcasting House 13th October 2013 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01jph1l |website=BBC|date=13 October 2013 |access-date=14 October 2013}}</ref><ref name="Marshall 2017 p.110-111">{{cite book |last=Marshall |first=Tim |title=A flag worth dying for: the power and politics of national symbols |publisher=Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-5011-6833-8 |publication-place=New York, NY |pages= |oclc=962006347}}</ref>{{efn|Graham Bartram (born 1963), a British vexillologist who is, {{as of|2013|lc=y}}, the secretary-general for congresses of the ''Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques'' and the chief vexillologist of the Flag Institute, when interviewed on the [[BBC]] ''Broadcasting House'' programme on 13 October 2013, stated that either name was perfectly valid whatever the purpose. He stated that the theory that the flag should only be referred to as "Union Jack" when flown at sea was wrong.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/LZHkmvOKPx0 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20140607153517/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZHkmvOKPx0 Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZHkmvOKPx0 |title=UNION JACK – discussion on BBC Broadcasting House |publisher=YouTube |date=19 October 2013 |access-date=3 December 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>}}

The flags of [[British Overseas Territories]], as well as certain sovereign states and regions (particularly in [[Commonwealth of Nations|the Commonwealth]]) that were previously [[British possessions]], incorporate the Union Jack into their own flag designs or have official flags that are derived from the Union Jack. Many of [[List of countries and territories with the Union Jack displayed on their flag|these flags]] are [[Blue ensign|blue]] or [[red ensign]]s with the Union Jack in the [[Canton (flag)|canton]] and [[Defacement (flag)|defaced]] with the distinguishing arms of the territory. The governors of British Overseas Territories and the [[Australian states]] also have personal standards that incorporate the Union Jack in their design. In Australia, the 'right or privilege' of a person to fly the Union Jack is protected under Australian statute law.<ref>{{Citation |last=Federal Register of Legislation |first= |title=Flags Act 1953 (Section 8) |date=2008-07-04 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.au/C1954A00001/latest |access-date=2025-11-13 |publisher=Australian Government}}</ref> The flag continues to have official status in [[Canada]], by parliamentary resolution, where it is also known as the '''Royal Union Flag'''.<ref name="ruf">{{cite web |author=Canadian Heritage |date=10 March 2008 |title=Statement by the Hon. Jason Kenney, PC, MP, Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity) on Commonwealth Day |url=http://www.pch.gc.ca/pc-ch/infoCNtr/cdm-mc/index-eng.cfm?action=doc&DocIDCd=DJK072980 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111111070357/http://www.pch.gc.ca/pc-ch/infoCNtr/cdm-mc/index-eng.cfm?action=doc&DocIDCd=DJK072980 |archive-date=11 November 2011 |publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada}}</ref>

==Terminology==
{{image frame
|border=no
|content={{Union Jack evolution}}
|link=Template:Union Jack evolution
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The terms ''Union Jack'' and ''Union Flag'' are both used historically for describing the national flag of the United Kingdom.

Initially, the flag was termed the 'British flag' or 'flag of Britain', and the term 'Union' first appeared in 1625.<ref name="Flag Institute terminology"/> The etymology of ''jack'' in the context of flagstaffs reaches back to Middle German. The suffix ''-kin'' was used in Middle Dutch and Middle German as a [[diminutive]].<ref name=OED-kin>{{cite OED|-kin}}</ref>  Examples occur in both [[Chaucer]] and [[William Langland|Langland]] though the form is unknown in Old English.<ref name=OED-kin />  ''John'' is a common male forename (going back to the Bible), appearing in Dutch as ''Jan''.  Both languages use it as a generic form for a man in general.<ref name=OEDJohn>{{cite OED|John|short=yes}}</ref>  The two were combined in the Middle Dutch {{lang|dum|Janke}}, whence Middle French {{lang|frm|Jakke}} and Middle English {{lang|enm|Jack}}.<ref name=OEDJackn2>{{cite OED|Jack|id=100485|short=yes}}</ref>  ''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.<ref name=OEDJackn2 />  Further examples in the compounds section at 2b illustrate this.<ref name=OEDJackn2 />  The original maritime flag use of ''jack'' was "A ship's flag of a smaller size than the ensign, used at sea as a signal, or as an identifying device".<ref name=OEDjackn4>{{cite OED|Jack|id=100487|short=yes}}</ref> 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 yo<sup>r</sup> Jack at yo<sup>r</sup> Boultspritt end and yo<sup>r</sup> Pendant and yo<sup>r</sup> Ordinance"<ref>1633 quotation cited in {{cite OED|Jack|id=100487|short=yes}}</ref>  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.<ref>{{cite OED|Union flag}} "Compare slightly later Union Jack"</ref>
[[File:The True Portraicture of His Maties Royall Ship the Soveraigne of the Seas. Built in the Yeare 1637 (detail of the Union flag on the jackstaff).jpg|thumb|A portrait of a ship, with the Union Jack placed on a jackstaff at the ship's bow, 1637]]
Also later a short flagpole was placed in the [[Bow (watercraft)|bows of a ship]] to fly the jack, this became known as the ''[[jackstaff]]''.<ref name=OEDjackstaff>{{cite OED|jackstaff}}</ref>

According to the [[Flag Institute]], a membership-run [[vexillological]] charity,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/about-us/|website=The Flag Institute |title=About Us |access-date=29 September 2014}}</ref> "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."<ref name="british-flag-protocol">{{cite web |url=http://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/british-flags/flying-flags-in-the-united-kingdom/british-flag-protocol/ |website=The Flag Institute |title=British Flag Protocol |access-date=12 March 2015}}</ref> The institute has also stated: {{blockquote|text=it is often stated that the Union Flag should only be described as the Union Jack when flown in the bows of a warship, but this is a relatively recent idea. From early in its life the Admiralty itself frequently referred to the flag as the Union Jack, whatever its use, and in 1902 an Admiralty circular announced that Their Lordships had decided that either name could be used officially. In 1908, a government minister stated, in response to a parliamentary question, that "the Union Jack should be regarded as the National flag".<ref name="FlagInstitute">{{cite web |url=http://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/british-flags/the-union-jack-or-the-union-flag/ |website=The Flag Institute |title=The Union Jack or The Union Flag? |first=Bruce |last=Nicolls |access-date=20 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite Hansard |title=The Flying of the Union Jack |house=House of Lords |date=14 July 1908 |volume=192 |column_start=579 |column_end=580 |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1908/jul/14/the-flying-of-the-union-jack#S4V0192P0_19080714_HOL_167 |access-date=18 December 2010 |archive-date=18 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118072357/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/lords/1908/jul/14/the-flying-of-the-union-jack#S4V0192P0_19080714_HOL_167 |url-status=live }}</ref>}} 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".<ref>{{citation|author=The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty|title=Manual of Seamanship|volume=I|year=1911|orig-date=1908|publisher=HMSO|place=London|page=20|quote="Note – A Jack is a Flag to be flown only at the "Jack" Staff, ''i.e.,'' a staff on the bowsprit or forepart of the ship. ... In 1660 the Duke of York, later James II.) gave an order that the Union Flag should be worn only by the King's ships."}}</ref>

However, the authoritative ''A Complete Guide to Heraldry'' published in 1909 by [[Arthur Charles Fox-Davies]] uses the term "Union Jack".<ref>{{cite book |last=Crawford |first=JR |editor-first=Arthur Charles |editor-last=Fox-Davies |editor-link=Arthur Charles Fox-Davies |title=A Complete Guide to Heraldry |chapter=Chapter XLI The Union Jack |chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/completeguidetoh00foxdrich#page/610/mode/2up |publisher=Dodge Publishing Company |location=New York |year=1909 |pages=611–617}}</ref>

The term "Union Flag" is used in [[Charles I of England|King Charles I's]] 1634 proclamation:

{{blockquote|text=... none of Our Subjects, of any of Our Nations and Kingdoms shall from henceforth presume to carry the Union Flag in the Main top, or other part of any of their Ships (that is) St Georges cross and St Andrew's Cross joined together upon pain of Our high displeasure, but that the same Union Flag be still reserved as an ornament proper for Our own Ships and Ships in our immediate Service and Pay, and none other.<ref name="Perrin 59">
{{cite book
|first=William Gordon
|last=Perrin
|title=British flags, their early history, and their development at sea: with an account of the origin of the flag as a national device
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JspsAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA59
|year=1922
|publisher=The University Press
|page=59
}}</ref>|sign=Proclamation appointing the Flag, as well for Our Navy Royal as for the Ships of Our Subjects of South and North Britain{{spaced ndash}}5 May 1634}} and in [[George III of the United Kingdom|King George III]]'s proclamation of 1 January 1801 concerning the arms and flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland:

{{blockquote|text=And that the Union Flag shall be Azure, the Crosses Saltires of St. Andrew and St. Patrick Quarterly per Saltire, counterchanged Argent and Gules; the latter fimbriated of the Second, surmounted by the Cross of St. George of the Third, fimbriated as the Saltire : ...<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=15324|page=2|date=30 December 1800}}</ref> |sign=A Proclamation Declaring His Majesty's Pleasure concerning the Royal Style and Titles appertaining to the Imperial Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and its Dependencies, and also the Ensigns, Armorial Flags, and Banners thereof}}

When the first flag representing Britain was introduced on the [[proclamation]] of [[James VI and I|King James I]] in 1606,<ref>
{{cite book
|first=William Gordon
|last=Perrin
|title=British flags, their early history, and their development at sea: with an account of the origin of the flag as a national device
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JspsAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA55
|year=1922
|publisher=The University Press
|page=55}}</ref> it became known simply as the "British flag" or the "flag of Britain". The royal proclamation gave no distinctive name to the new flag. At the [[death and funeral of James VI and I|funeral of King James]] in 1625 the flag was called the "Banner of the Union of the two Crosses of England and Scotland".<ref>John Nichols, ''Progresses of James the First'', vol. 4 (London, 1828), pp. 1043-4.</ref> The word ''jack'' was in use before 1600 to describe the [[Jack (flag)|maritime bow flag]].<ref name="FlagInstitute"/> By 1627 a small Union Jack was commonly flown in this position. One theory goes that for some years it would have been called simply the "Jack", or "Jack flag", or the "King's Jack", but by 1674, while formally referred to as "His Majesty's Jack", it was commonly called the "Union Jack", and this was officially acknowledged.<ref name="flaginst">{{cite web |url=http://www.flaginstitute.org/index.php?location=7 |title=British flags |first=Graham |last=Bartram |website=The Flag Institute |access-date=2 May 2007}}</ref><ref name="Marshall 2017 p.110-111" />

A proclamation issued by King [[George III]] at the time of the [[Acts of Union 1800|Union of 1801]] concerned flags at sea and repeatedly referred to "Ensigns, Flags, Jacks, and Pendants" and forbade merchant vessels from wearing "Our Jack, commonly called the Union Jack" nor any pendants or colours used by the King's ships.<ref name="London Gazette 1801-01-03">{{London Gazette|issue=15325|date=3 January 1801|pages=25–27}}</ref>  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".<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=15325|date=3 January 1801|pages=23–24}}</ref>

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 [[British Empire|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 [[soldier]]s, 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.<ref name=Flagsofworld>{{FOTW|id=gb|title=United Kingdom|access-date=10 June 2008}}</ref>

[[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 [[Lady Randolph Churchill|his mother]] from [[British Raj|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 [[Flag of the United States|Star Spangled Banner]] crossed on the cover to be suited to one of [[Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe|Harmsworth]]'s cheap Imperialist productions."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.churchillarchive.com/exhibitions/churchill-the-power-of-words |title=Churchill: The Power of Words |access-date=16 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816065341/http://www.churchillarchive.com/exhibitions/churchill-the-power-of-words |archive-date=16 August 2016 }}</ref>

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".<ref>{{citation|editor1-last=Fowler|editor1-first=Jean|title=Reed's Nautical Almanac 1990|publisher=Thomas Reed Publications Limited|place=New Malden, Surrey|year=1990|isbn=978-0-947637-36-1|pages=16:2–16:3}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us^nvj.html |title=Naval Jack (U.S.) |website=Crwflags.com |access-date=3 December 2015}}</ref>

{{anchor|Butcher's Apron}}
The ''Butcher's Apron'' is a [[pejorative]] term for the flag, common amongst [[Irish republicanism|Irish republicans]], citing the blood-streaked appearance of the flag and referring to atrocities committed in Ireland and other countries under British colonial rule.<ref>{{cite book |last=Salkie |first=Raphael |chapter=Outside the 'Free World' |title=The Chomsky Update: Linguistics and Politics |publisher=Unwin Hyman |year=1990 |page=174 |isbn=978-0-04-445589-9}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Groom |first=Nick |chapter=Union Jacks and Union Jills |editor-first=Thomas Hylland |editor-last=Eriksen |editor2-first=Richard |editor2-last=Jenkins |title=Flag, Nation and Symbolism in Europe and America |url=https://archive.org/details/flagnationsymbol00jenk |url-access=limited |publisher=Routledge |year=2007 |page=[https://archive.org/details/flagnationsymbol00jenk/page/n95 81] |isbn=978-0-415-44404-0}}</ref> 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.<ref name="apron">{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/news/tm_objectid=16609593&method=full&siteid=66633-name_page.html |title=SNP Face More Flak Over Flag Attacks |date=21 January 2006 |newspaper=[[Daily Record (Scotland)|Daily Record]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930033633/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/news/tm_objectid%3D16609593%26method%3Dfull%26siteid%3D66633-name_page.html |archive-date=30 September 2007 }}</ref> The Irish folk band [[the Wolfe Tones]] has a song entitled "The Butcher's Apron" which makes reference to the term.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Tracey |first1=James D. |title=The Political Economy of Merchant Empires: State Power and World Trade, 1350–1750 |date=1997 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |page=117}}</ref>

In the [[Chinese language]], the flag has the nickname ''Rice-Character Flag'' ({{lang|zh|米字旗}}; [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]] [[Pinyin]]: {{lang|zh-Latn|mǐzìqí}}, [[Cantonese]] [[Jyutping]]: {{lang|zh-Latn|mai5zi6kei4}}) because the pattern looks similar to the Chinese character for "rice" ({{lang|zh|米}}).<ref>{{cite book|last=Ouyang|first=Yu |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=URP1uP_JcMkC&q=%E5%AD%97%E5%85%B8+%E7%B1%B3%E5%AD%97%E6%97%97&pg=PA236 |script-title=zh:譯心雕蟲：– 個澳華作家的翻譯筆記 |publisher=Niang Publishing |year=2013 |page=236|isbn=978-986-5871-53-6 }}</ref>

== Design ==
<!-- This section is linked from the redirect page Union Flag -->
[[File:UnionJack Construction Per 1801 Blazon.svg|thumb|Construction diagram of the Union Jack, as described in the 1801 blazon]]
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: 
<blockquote>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].<ref>{{cite book|title=The European Magazine: And London Review|volume=39|publisher=Philological Society of London|year=1801|page=74 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qV83AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA74}}</ref></blockquote>

===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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2007-08/unionflag.html |access-date=9 April 2014 |title=Union Flag Bill 2007–08 |publisher=UK Parliament}}</ref>

The three-component crosses that make up the Union Jack are sized as follows:<ref name="Flag Institute">{{cite web |title=Union Flag Specification |url=https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/uk-flags/union-flag-specification/ |website=The Flag Institute |access-date=24 October 2022}}</ref>
* The red [[St George's Cross]] width is {{frac|1|5}} of the flag's height with a {{frac|1|15}} flag height [[fimbriation]]
* The white diagonal [[Flag of Scotland|St Andrew's Cross]] width is {{frac|1|5}} of the flag's height, visible on either side of the St Patrick's Cross in diagonals of  {{frac|1|10}} and {{frac|1|30}} of the flag's height, respectively.
* The red diagonal [[Saint Patrick's Saltire|St Patrick's Cross]] width is {{frac|1|15}} of the flag's height. It is offset by {{frac|1|30}} of the flag's height in an anti-clockwise direction{{clarify|date=May 2020}}. According to the official blazon of 1801, the white diagonal [[Flag of Scotland|St Andrew's Cross]] is in fact [[counterchanged]] with the red diagonal of [[Saint Patrick's Saltire|St Patrick's Cross]]. In this interpretation, the width of both saltires is  {{frac|1|15}} of the flag's height, with fimbriations of  {{frac|1|30}} 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 [[Glossary of vexillology#width or breadth|width or breadth]].

====Ratios====
{{multiple image
| align             = 
| perrow            = 2/2
| image1            = Flag of the United Kingdom (1-2).svg
| caption1          = Union Flag with an aspect ratio of 1:2
| alt1              = 
| image2            = Flag of the United Kingdom (1-2) (construction sheet).svg
| caption2          = Aspect diagram of a 1:2 Union Flag
| alt2              = 
| image3            = Flag of the United Kingdom (3-5).svg
| caption3          = Union Flag with an aspect ratio of 3:5
| alt3              = 
| image4            = Flag of the United Kingdom (construction sheet).svg
| caption4          = Aspect diagram of a 3:5 Union Flag
| alt4              = 
}}
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.<ref>by the 1970s,<!--this article is unaware  *when* this became standard, could be any time between 1801 and 1973.--> "its current official dimension of l/30th the width of the flag" ''The Flag Bulletin'', Volumes 12–14, Flag Research Center (1973), p. 85.</ref> In the 19th century, the Union flag was defined by the same blazon but could vary in its geometrical proportions.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.justcollecting.com/miscellania/the-worlds-most-expensive-union-jack-sells-for-384k |title=The World's Most Expensive Union Jack Sells For £384K |access-date=10 August 2016 |archive-date=11 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811185440/https://www.justcollecting.com/miscellania/the-worlds-most-expensive-union-jack-sells-for-384k }}</ref>

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.<ref name="35variant">{{FOTW|id=gb_var|anchor=35|title=United Kingdom: 3:5 variant|access-date=22 July 2008}}</ref> 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.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/resources/union-flag-approved-designs|title=Union Flag: approved designs|website=www.college-of-arms.gov.uk|publisher=College of Arms|year=2023|access-date=23 February 2023}}</ref> The [[war flag]] used by the [[British Army]] has the proportions 3:5.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/uk-flags/union-flag-specification/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220910051859/https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/uk-flags/union-flag-specification/|title=Union Flag Specification &#124; Image &#124; Description &#124; Diagram|archive-date=10 September 2022}}</ref>

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.<ref name="35variant" /> The [[Regulation Colours#British Army|King's Colours of Army regiments]] are {{convert|36|x|43|in}}; on them, the bars of the cross and saltire are of equal width, as are their respective narrow fimbriations.<ref>
{{cite web |url=http://flagspot.net/flags/gb-regt.html |title=United Kingdom: Regimental Colours |last1=Grieve |first1=Martin |first2=Christopher |last2=Southworth |first3=David |last3=Prothero |website=[[Flags of the World (website)|Flags of the World]] |access-date=9 July 2009}}</ref>

===Colours===
Although the proclamation of 1801 did not specify colours beyond [[Azure (heraldry)|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:<ref name="auto"/><ref name=Flagsofworld /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Bartram |first=Graham |title=British flags & emblems |date=2004 |publisher=Tuckwell Press |isbn=978-1-86232-297-4 |location=East Linton}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Scheme
! scope="col" style="background:#012169; color:white;" | Blue
! scope="col" style="background:#C8102E; color:white;" | Red
! scope="col" style="background:white; color:black;" | White
|-
!Refs.!!<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pantone.com/color-finder/280-C|title=PANTONE 280 C – find a PANTONE Color|last=PANTONE|website=www.pantone.com|access-date=16 November 2017|archive-date=29 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191229020409/https://www.pantone.com/color-finder/280-C}}</ref>!!<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pantone.com/color-finder/186-C|title=PANTONE 186 C – find a PANTONE Color|last=PANTONE|website=www.pantone.com|access-date=16 November 2017|archive-date=15 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515140142/https://www.pantone.com/color-finder/186-C}}</ref>!!
|-
! scope="row" | [[Pantone]] (paper)
| 280 C
| 186 C
| Safe
|-
! scope="row" | [[Web colors|RGB hexadecimal]]
| #012169
| #C8102E
| #FFFFFF
|-
! scope="row" | [[RGB color model|RGB decimal]]
|1, 33, 105
|200, 16, 46
|255, 255, 255
|-
! scope="row" | [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|MoD]]
| 8711D
| 8711
| 8711J
|-
! scope="row" | [[NATO Stock Number|NSN]]
| 8305.99.130.4580
| 8305.99.130.4584
| 8305.99.130.4585
|-
! scope="row" | [[CMYK color model|CMYK]]
| 100.85.5.22
| 2.100.85.6
| 0.0.0.0
|}

===Flying===
{{More citations needed|section|date=August 2025}}	
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| caption_align     = center
| image1            = Union Flag on staff (vertical, hoist left).svg
| image2            = Union Flag on staff (vertical, hoist right).svg
| caption1          = Staff from the left
| caption2          = Staff from the right
| footer            = Correct vertical displays of the Union Flag. The left view is also the vertical display used if there is no staff or a bi-supported staff is used, and flag is only seen from one direction.
| footer_align      = center
| total_width       = 230
}}

{{multiple image
| align             = left
| caption_align     = center
| image1            = Union Flag on staff (hoist left).svg
| image2            = Union Flag on staff (hoist right).svg
| caption1          = Hoist on the left
| caption2          = Hoist on the right
| footer            = The correct way to fly the flag. If no staff is used and the flag is only seen from one direction, the view shown at left is used.
| footer_align      = center
| total_width       = 230
}}

{{multiple image
| align             = left
| caption_align     = center
| image1            = Upside down Union Flag on staff (hoist left).svg
| image2            = Upside down Union Flag on staff (hoist right).svg
| caption1          = Wrong way, hoist on the left
| caption2          = Wrong way, hoist on the right
| footer            = The flag is sometimes mistakenly flown upside down, as shown.
| footer_align      = center
| total_width       = 230
}}

The flag does not have reflection symmetry due to the slight pinwheeling of the St Patrick's and St Andrew's crosses, technically the ''[[Counterchanged|counterchange]] of saltires''. Thus, there is a correct side up. It is one of two national flags with [[Rotational symmetry#Discrete rotational symmetry|two-fold rotational symmetry]], [[Cyclic group|symmetry group]] C<sub>2</sub>, 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 [[privateer]]s).  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.<ref name="London Gazette 1801-01-03" />

It is often stated that a flag upside down is a form of distress signal or even a deliberate insult. In the case of the Union Flag, the difference is subtle and is easily missed by the uninformed. It is often displayed upside down inadvertently—even on commercially-made hand waving flags.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Union Jack: Do You Know The Correct Way Up?|url=https://www.forces.net/heritage/history/union-jack-do-you-know-correct-way|first=Julian|last=Perreira|date=18 February 2020|website=Forces Network|access-date=28 May 2020}}</ref>

==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 [[Union of the Crowns|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).<ref name="Flagsofworld"/> In the wake of the 1603 personal union, several designs for a new flag were drawn up, juxtaposing the [[Saint George's Cross]] and the [[Flag of Scotland|St Andrew's Saltire]], but none were acceptable to James:<ref name=BBC_20060410>{{cite news |last1=Duffy |first1=Jonathan |title=Union recognition |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4895076.stm |work=BBC |date=10 April 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130134900/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4895076.stm |archive-date=30 November 2020 |url-status=live }} <br />· [https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/magazine_enl_1144679591/html/1.stm Graphic] ([https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/magazine_enl_1144679591/html/1.stm archive of Graphic])</ref>
{{gallery |mode=nolines |whitebg=y |height=90|align=center
| title= Early ({{Circa|1604}}) design proposals (manuscript in the [[National Library of Scotland]])<ref name=BBC_20060410/>
|File:Proposed Union Jack (1604) - Design 1.svg|
|File:Proposed Union Jack (1604) - Design 2.svg|
|File:Proposed Union Jack (1604) - Design 3.svg|
|File:Proposed Union Jack (1604) - Design 4.svg|
|File:Proposed Union Jack (1604) - Design 5.svg|
|File:Proposed Union Jack (1604) - Design 6.svg|
}}
{{gallery|mode=nolines|align=center|perrow=3|whitebg=y|height=90| title= Other design proposals, {{circa|early 17th century}}
|File:Proposed Union Jack (Scottish, blue fimbriation of white).svg|One early proposal for the Union Jack, consisting of a white St Andrew's saltire with blue fimbriation superimposed over a red St George's cross on a field of white
|File:Proposed Union Jack (Scottish, blue on red, before 1617).svg|A reconstruction of the Union Jack displayed on the ceiling boss from Linlithgow Palace
}}
[[File:Linlithgow Palace unicorn boss, c.1617.JPG|thumb|The Linlithgow Palace carving with a proposed flag of the new [[Union of the Crowns]], {{circa|1617}}]]
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.<ref name="plantagenet">{{cite book |last=Fry |first=Plantagenet Somerset |title=The Kings and Queens of England and Scotland |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tLax3FEkO1kC&pg=PA127 |publisher=Grove Press |year=1990 |isbn=978-0-8021-1386-3 |page=127}}</ref> 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===
{{main|Flag of Great Britain}}

[[File:Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg|thumb|right|The first Union Flag from 1606|alt=Red cross with white border over a white saltire and dark blue background.]]
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,<ref name="flaginst"/> forming the flag of Great Britain and first union flag:
{{blockquote|text=By the King: Whereas, some differences hath arisen between Our subjects of South and North Britaine travelling by Seas, about the bearing of their Flagges: For the avoiding of all contentions hereafter. We have, with the advice of our Council, ordered: That from henceforth all our Subjects of this Isle and Kingdome of Great Britaine, and all our members thereof, shall beare in their main-toppe the Red Crosse, commonly called St George's Crosse, and the White Crosse, commonly called St Andrew's Crosse, joyned together according to the forme made by our heralds, and sent by Us to our Admerall to be published to our Subjects: and in their fore-toppe our Subjects of South Britaine shall weare the Red Crosse onely as they were wont, and our Subjects of North Britaine in their fore-toppe the White Crosse onely as they were accustomed.<ref>{{cite book |last=Fox-Davies |first=Arthur Charles |author-link=Arthur Charles Fox-Davies |title=The Art of Heraldry: An Encyclopædia of Armory |title-link=The Art of Heraldry: An Encyclopædia of Armory|publisher=Bloomsbury Books |location=London |orig-date=1904 |year=1986 |page=399 |isbn=978-0-906223-34-5}}</ref>}}
This royal flag was, at first, to be used only at sea on civil and military ships of both England and Scotland, whereas land forces continued to use their respective national banners.<ref name=KnowBritain>{{cite web |url=http://www.know-britain.com/general/union_jack.html |title=The History and Meaning of the Union Jack or Union Flag |website=Know Britain |access-date=10 June 2008 |archive-date=22 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122093009/http://www.know-britain.com/general/union_jack.html }}</ref> Flying the national flag at the mainmast had signified the [[Admiral of the Narrow Seas]] (the [[English Channel]]) and confusion arose. In 1634, [[Charles I of England|King Charles I]] restricted its use to [[Royal Navy]] ships.<ref name="Blomfield 1895">{{cite book | title=Journal of the Royal United Service Institution, Whitehall Yard | publisher=W. Mitchell |volume=39 |issue=1 | year=1895 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PicwAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA181 | access-date=10 February 2023 | pages=181–185}}</ref><ref name="Perrin 59" /> After the [[Acts of Union 1707]], the flag gained a regularised status as "the ensign armorial of the [[Kingdom of Great Britain]]", the newly created state. It was then adopted by land forces as well, although the blue field used on land-based versions more closely resembled that of the blue of the flag of Scotland.

Various shades of blue have been used in the saltire over the years. The ground of the current Union Flag is a deep "[[navy blue|navy]]" blue ([[Pantone]] 280), which can be traced to the colour used for the [[Blue Ensign]] of the [[Royal Navy]]'s historic "Blue Squadron". (Dark shades of colour were used on [[maritime flags]] on the basis of durability.) In 2003 a committee of the [[Scottish Parliament]] recommended that the flag of Scotland use a lighter "[[royal blue|royal]]" blue (Pantone 300) (the Office of the [[Lord Lyon]] does not detail specific shades of colour for use in heraldry).

A thin white stripe, or [[fimbriation]], separates the red cross from the blue field, in accordance with heraldry's [[rule of tincture]] where colours (such as red and blue) must be separated from each other by metals (such as white, i.e. ''[[argent]]'' or silver). The [[blazon]] for the old union flag, to be compared with the current flag, is ''azure, the cross saltire of St Andrew argent surmounted by the Cross of St George gules, fimbriated of the second.''

[[File:Flag of the Commonwealth (1658-1660).svg|thumb|alt=Red cross with a white border over a white saltire and dark blue background. At the centre is a gold harp in dark blue shield, which is the same size as the intersection of vertical and horizontal white bars.|The [[Protectorate Jack]], flag used by [[The Protectorate]] from 1658 to 1660]]
The [[Kingdom of Ireland]], which had existed as a personal union with England since 1541, was unrepresented in the original versions of the Union Jack.<ref name=KnowBritain/> However, the flag of [[the Protectorate]] from 1658 to 1660 was [[escutcheon (heraldry)|inescutcheoned]] with the [[arms of Ireland]]. These were removed at [[English Restoration|the Restoration]], because [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] found them offensive.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1660/05/13/ |title=Sunday 13 May 1660 |work=The Diary of Samuel Pepys |date=13 May 1660 |publisher=Phil Gyford |access-date=12 January 2017}}</ref>

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<ref>{{FOTW|id=gb-lthse|anchor=cnlc|title=Northern Lighthouse Commissioner's Flag}}</ref> and can be seen flying from their [[George Street, Edinburgh|George Street]] headquarters in [[Edinburgh]].

It is this version of the Union Jack that formed the [[canton (flag)|canton]] of the [[Continental Union Flag]], the "[[de facto]]" first [[Flag of the United States|national flag of the United States]] from July 1776 to June 1777.
[[File:Command flag, Admiral of the Fleet, RN (before 1801) RMG L4480.tiff|thumb|The Union Jack flown on {{HMS|Queen Charlotte|1790|6}}, the Royal Navy flagship during the [[Glorious First of June]] in 1794. As is common for the period, the flag is an approximation of the Union Jack's proper specification.]]
''[[Lord Howe's action, or the Glorious First of June]]'', painted in 1795, shows a Union flying from {{HMS|Queen Charlotte|1790|6}} 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/730.html |title=Command flag, Admiral of the Fleet, RN (before 1801) |id=AAA0730 |department=The Collection |website=[[National Maritime Museum]] |access-date=12 August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/206394.html |id=AAA3687 |title=Post Office Blue Ensign (before 1864)|department=The Collection |website=[[National Maritime Museum]] |access-date=12 August 2013}}</ref>

The flag is also flown beside [[Customs House, Sydney|Customs House]] in Loftus Street, [[Sydney]], to mark the raising of the Union Jack by [[Arthur Phillip|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 [[British Army]]'s flag is the Union Jack, but in 1938, a "British Army Non-Ceremonial Flag" was devised, featuring a lion on crossed blades with the [[St Edward's Crown]] on a red background. 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 [[regiment]]al flags and the Union Jack would be inappropriate.

====Scottish Union Flag====
[[File:Edinburgh Castle John Slezer trimmed.jpg|thumb|alt=Engraving of a castle on top of a steep hill, above the title "The North East View of Edinburgh Castle". On the castle flies a large Union Flag with Scottish saltire part of flag most visible.|[[John Slezer|Slezer's]] [[Edinburgh Castle]] {{circa|1693}} depicting the Scottish Union flag<ref name="slezer">{{cite web |title=The North East View of Edinburgh Castle |url=http://digital.nls.uk/slezer/engraving.cfm?sl=59 |website=[[National Library of Scotland]] |department=Slezer's Scotland |access-date=9 January 2012}}</ref>]]
In objecting to the design of the Union Flag adopted in 1606, whereby the cross of Saint George surmounted that of Saint Andrew, a group of Scots took up the matter with [[John Erskine, Earl of Mar (1558–1634)|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: 
{{blockquote|text=Most sacred Soverayne. A greate nomber of the maisteris and awnaris of the schippis of this your Majesteis kingdome hes verie havelie compleint to your Majesteis Counsell that the form and patrone of the flaggis of schippis, send doun heir and commandit to be ressavit and used be the subjectis of boith kingdomes, is very prejudiciall to the fredome and dignitie of this Estate and will gif occasioun of reprotche to this natioun quhairevir the said flage sal happin to be worne beyond sea becaus, as your sacred majestie may persave, the Scottis Croce, callit Sanctandrois Croce is twyse divydit, and the Inglishe Croce, callit Sanct George, haldin haill and drawne through the Scottis Croce, whiche is thairby obscurit and no takin nor merk to be seen of the Scottis Armes. This will breid some heit and miscontentment betwix your Majesteis subjectis, and it is to be ferit that some inconvenientis sall fall out betwix thame, for oure seyfairing men cannot be inducit to ressave that flag as it is set doun. They haif drawne two new drauchtis and patronis as most indifferent for boith kingdomes which they present to the Counsell, and craved our approbatioun of the same; bot we haif reserved that to you Majesteis princelie determination.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hulme |first=Edward. F. |title=The flags of the world: their history, blazonry and associations |url=https://archive.org/stream/flagsofworldthei00hulmiala/flagsofworldthei00hulmiala_djvu.txt |format=txt |year=1897 |publisher=F. Warne & co. |page=152}}</ref>}}

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.<ref>{{cite book |last=Bartram |first=Graham |title=British Flags & Emblems |year=2005 |publisher=Flag Institute/Tuckwell |isbn=978-1-86232-297-4 |page=122}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Crampton |first=William |title=Flags of the World |year=1992 }}</ref><ref name="Smith 1973">{{cite journal |last=Smith |first=Whitney |journal=The Flag Bulletin |title=Title unknown |year=1973 |publisher=Flag Research Center}}</ref> This flag's design is also described in the 1704 edition of ''The Present State of the Universe'' by [[John Beaumont (geologist)|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''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Beaumont |first=John |author-link=John Beaumont (geologist) |title=The Present State of the Universe ... |year=1704 |orig-date=1701 |publisher=Benj. Motte |page=164}}</ref>
[[File:BeaumontScottishUnionFlag.png|thumb|alt=White saltire clearly visible over white-bordered red cross on blue background.| Scottish Union Flag depicted in the 1704 edition of ''The Present State of the Universe.'']]
On land, evidence confirming the use of this flag appears in the depiction of [[Edinburgh Castle]] by [[John Slezer]], in his series of [[engraving]]s entitled ''Theatrum Scotiae'', c. 1693. Appearing in later editions of ''Theatrum Scotiae'', the ''North East View of Edinburgh Castle'' engraving depicts the ''[[Scotch (adjective)|Scotch]]'' (to use the appropriate adjective of that period) version of the Union Flag flying from the Palace block of the Castle.<ref>{{cite book |first1=John |last1=Slezer |first2=Robert |last2=Sibbald |first3=Abel |last3=Swall |author-link=John Slezer |title=Theatrum Scotiae<!--: Containing the prospects of their Majesties castles and palaces: together with those of the most considerable towns and colleges; the ruins of many ancient abbeys, churches, monasteries and convents, within the said kingdom. All curiously engraven on copper plates. With a short ... --> |year=1693 |publisher=John Leake |page=114}}</ref> On ''[[The North Prospect of the City of Edenburgh]]'' engraving, the flag is indistinct.<ref name="north prospect">{{cite web |url=http://digital.nls.uk/slezer/engraving.cfm?sl=58 |title=The North Prospect of the City of Edenburgh |department=Slezer's Scotland |website=[[National Library of Scotland]] |access-date=9 January 2012 |archive-date=19 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219165700/http://digital.nls.uk/slezer/engraving.cfm?sl=58 }}</ref>

On 17 April 1707, two weeks prior to the [[Acts of Union 1707|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 [[Anne, Queen of Great Britain|Queen Anne]] and her [[Privy Council of England|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''".<ref name='de Burton'>{{cite news |first=Simon |last=de Burton |title=How Scots lost battle of the standard |date=9 November 1999 |publisher=Johnston Press plc |url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-18715263.html |work=The Scotsman |access-date=30 June 2009}} {{Dead link|date=April 2012|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> However, the Queen and her Council approved Sir Henry's original effort, numbered "one".<ref name="de Burton"/>

A manuscript compiled in 1785 by William Fox and in possession of the [[Flag Research Center]] includes a full plate showing "''the scoth ''{{sic}}'' union''" flag. This could imply that there was still some use of a Scottish variant before the addition of the cross of St Patrick to the Union Flag in 1801.<ref name="Smith 1973"/>

=== After 1801 ===
[[File:British flag flown from HMS Spartiate during the Battle of Trafalgar.jpg|thumb|A Union Jack flown aboard {{HMS|Spartiate|1798|6}} during the [[Battle of Trafalgar]] in 1805, which took place several years after the second Union Jack was adopted.]]
The current and second Union Jack dates from 1 January 1801 with the [[Act of Union 1800]], which merged the [[Kingdom of Great Britain]] and the [[Kingdom of Ireland]] to form the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland]]. The new design added a red [[saltire]], the [[Saint Patrick's Flag|cross of Saint Patrick]] (which originates from the arms of the [[Normans in Ireland|Old English]] [[FitzGerald family]] rather than directly from the saint),<ref>{{cite book |last=Hayes-McCoy |first=Gerard Anthony |author-link=Gerard Anthony Hayes-McCoy |title=A history of Irish flags from earliest times |editor-first=Pádraig |editor-last=Ó Snodaigh |editor-link=Pádraig Ó Snodaigh |publisher=Academy Press |location=Dublin |year=1979 |isbn=978-0-906187-01-2 |page=38}}
</ref> for Ireland. This is [[counterchanging|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 [[#Specification|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.<ref name=Flagsofworld /> This fimbriation is repeated for symmetry on the white portion of the saltire, which thereby appears wider than the red portion. The fimbriation of the cross of St George separates its red from the red of the saltire.

====Flag speculation after Irish Free State establishment====
When the [[Anglo-Irish Treaty]] was concluded on 6 December 1921 and the creation of the new [[Irish Free State]] was an imminent prospect, the question arose as to whether the cross of Saint Patrick should remain in the Union Jack. ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that on 22 January 1922:

{{blockquote|text=At the [[College of Arms]] it was stated that certain modifications were under consideration and that if any action were taken it would be done by the King in Council. No parliamentary action would be necessary. Heraldry experts say that alterations in arms are very expensive. Some years ago there was a demand from Irish quarters that the blue ground of the golden harp on the royal standard should be changed to green. It was then estimated that the alteration would cost at least £2,000,000. To remove all reference to Ireland from the present Union Jack and Royal Arms would be vastly more expensive.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1922/01/14/109830879.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308091829/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1922/01/14/109830879.pdf |archive-date=8 March 2021 |title=May Alter The Union Jack |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=14 January 1922 }}</ref>}}

There was some speculation on the matter in British dominions also, with one New Zealand paper reporting that:
{{blockquote|text=...the removal of the cross of St. Patrick Cross after 120 years will transform the appearance of the flag. It will certainly become a flag under which great victories were won in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, but to most minds the sentimental loss will be great. Probably it will be found that the deletion is not absolutely necessary. Other possible changes include the abolition of the title of the United Kingdom, and the removal of the harp from the Royal Standard and the Coat of Arms, and the substitution of the Ulster emblem.<ref name="ashburton">{{cite news |title=Signs of Heraldry |url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AG19211213.2.31.5&srpos=2&e=-------10--1----2%22Irish+Free+State%22-all |newspaper=[[Ashburton Guardian]] |volume=XLII |issue=9409 |date=13 December 1921 |page=5 |publisher=[[National Library of New Zealand]] |access-date=2012-01-09}}</ref>}}

However, the fact that it was likely that [[Northern Ireland]] would remain in the United Kingdom gave better grounds for keeping the cross of St. Patrick in the Union Jack. In this regard, [[Sir James Craig]], the [[Prime Minister of Northern Ireland]] remarked in December 1921 that he and his government were "glad to think that our decision [to remain part of United Kingdom] will obviate the necessity of mutilating the Union Jack."<ref name="ulster">{{cite news |title=The Position of Ulster |url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AG19211216.2.25.5&srpos=14&e=-------10--11----2%22Irish+Free+State%22-all |newspaper=[[Ashburton Guardian]] |volume=XLII |issue=9413 |date=16 December 1921 |page=5 |publisher=[[National Library of New Zealand]] |access-date=9 January 2012}}</ref> Though remaining within the United Kingdom, the new government of Northern Ireland dispensed with the St Patrick's Saltire in favour of [[Ulster banner|a new flag]] derived from the [[House of Burke|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 Principal King of Arms|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.<ref>{{cite Hansard |title=National Flag (Irish Free State) |house=House of Commons |date=7 December 1922 |volume=159 |column_start=2015W |column_end=2016W |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1922/dec/07/national-flag-irish-free-state |access-date=14 August 2013 |archive-date=24 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121224034625/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1922/dec/07/national-flag-irish-free-state |url-status=live }}</ref>

A [[Question Time|Dáil question]] in 1961 mooted raising the removal of the cross of St Patrick with the British government; Frank Aiken, the [[Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade|Irish Minister for External Affairs]], declined to "waste time on heraldic disputations".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1961-08-03/17/ |title=Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. – Cross of St. Patrick on British Flag |volume=191 |number=15 |page=18 |website=[[Oireachtas]] |date=3 August 1961}}</ref>

====21st century====
[[File:Union Flag (including Wales).svg|thumb|One suggested redesign of the Union Jack with the red dragon from the [[flag of Wales]] 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 Party (UK)|Labour]] [[Member of Parliament|MP]] [[Ian Lucas]] proposed on 26 November 2007 in a [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] debate that the Union Flag be combined with the [[Flag of Wales|Welsh flag]] to reflect Wales's status within the UK, and that the [[Welsh Dragon|red dragon]] be added to the Union Flag's red, white, and blue pattern.<ref name="welsh">{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7114248.stm |title=Welsh dragon call for Union flag |publisher=BBC |date=27 November 2007}}</ref> He said the Union Jack currently only represented the other three UK nations, and [[Department for Culture, Media and Sport|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.<ref name="face">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1572168/The-new-face-of-Britain-Flag-poll-results.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1572168/The-new-face-of-Britain-Flag-poll-results.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=The new face of Britain Flag poll results |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=5 December 2007 |first=Matthew |last=Moore}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25205017 |first1= Sam |last1=Judah |title=What would the union jack look like if the Scottish bit were removed? |website=BBC |date=4 December 2013 |access-date=3 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/galleryguide/0,,184378,00.html |title=The Union Jack: your designs |website=The Guardian |access-date=3 December 2015}}</ref>

In September 2025, the [[Flag of England|England flag]] and the Union Jack became increasingly visible in the [[United Kingdom|UK]], in what was described as a "flag phenomenon".<ref name="Guardian2025-09-14" /> 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 [[Flag of Palestine|Palestine flags]].<ref name="Guardian2025-09-14" /><ref name="Times2025-08-15" /> The phenomenon drew media attention after local authorities in [[Birmingham]] and [[York]] ordered the removal of [[Flag of the United Kingdom|British flags]] while allowing [[Flag of Palestine|Palestine flags]] to remain, prompting public backlash and accusations of political double standards.<ref name="Guardian2025-09-14" /><ref name="Times2025-08-15" />

==Status in the United Kingdom==
[[File:The Union Jack Flag MOD 45153521.jpg|thumb|A Union Jack flying from a jackstaff onboard a Royal Navy warship, 2011]]
The Union Jack is used as a [[jack (flag)|jack]] by commissioned warships and submarines of the [[Royal Navy]], and by commissioned [[British Army|army]] and [[Royal Air Force]] vessels. When at anchor or alongside, it is flown from the [[jackstaff]] at the [[Bow (ship)|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 (Royal Navy)|Admiral of the Fleet]], former [[First Sea Lord]]s and [[Admiral]]s who are or have been [[Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|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.<ref name="FOTWsea">{{cite web |date=April 2017 |title=BRd 2 - Queen's Regulations for the Royal Navy |url=https://cd.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/rnweb/footer-pages-documents-and-images/brd_2_bookv6.pdf?rev=c3db9c181ea74574b7dd074ed3471c45 |access-date=10 January 2025 |website=royalnavy.mod.uk}}</ref>

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".<ref>[https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1908/jul/14/the-flying-of-the-union-jack The Flying of the Union Jack] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118072357/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/lords/1908/jul/14/the-flying-of-the-union-jack |date=18 January 2012 }}, ''[[Hansard]]'', House of Lords Debate, 14 July 1908 vol 192 cc 579–580</ref> A more categorical statement was made by [[Secretary of State for the Home Department|Home Secretary]] [[Sir John Gilmour, 2nd Baronet|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."<ref>[https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080205/debtext/80205-0004.htm Official Report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026002232/http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080205/debtext/80205-0004.htm |date=26 October 2016 }} (''[[Hansard]]''), [https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1933/jun/27/union-flag 27 June 1933; Vol. 279, c. 1324.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160208033652/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1933/jun/27/union-flag |date=8 February 2016 }}</ref>
[[File:Union Jacks in Godalming - geograph.org.uk - 3028373.jpg|thumb|Union Jacks on two flagpoles hanging from a building in [[Surrey]], 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&nbsp;– a privilege restricted to naval ships&nbsp;– caused James's successor, [[Charles I of England|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."<ref name="Perrin 59" /> It remains a criminal offence under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995<ref>{{citation|title=The Merchant Shipping Act 1995 (1995 c. 21)|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/21/section/2|at=section 2|year=1995|publisher=The National Archives|place=London|access-date=1 March 2015}}</ref> to display the Union Flag (other than the "pilot jack"&nbsp;– 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."<ref name="lordlyon">{{cite web |url=http://www.lyon-court.com/lordlyon/218.183.html |title=The Union Flag |website=[[The Court of the Lord Lyon]] |access-date=10 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425184926/http://www.lyon-court.com/lordlyon/218.183.html |archive-date=25 April 2018 }}</ref>

On 5 February 2008, [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) [[Andrew Rosindell]] introduced the 'Union Flag Bill' as a [[private member's bill]] under the [[Ten Minute Rule|10 Minute Rule]] in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|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]].<ref name=bill>{{cite web |url=http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2007-08/unionflag.html |title=Union Flag Bill 2007–08 |website=UK Parliament |date=5 February 2008}}</ref>  The Bill stated "Union flag (commonly known as the Union Jack)" in subsection 1(1), but otherwise uses the term "Union Flag".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmbills/065/08065.i-i.html|title=Union Flag Bill|publisher=House of Commons|website=UK Parliament|date=13 October 2008|access-date=19 February 2022}}</ref>

===Flag days===
[[File:The Coldstream Guards Troop Their Colour MOD 45165212.jpg|thumb|Vertical displays of the Union Flag during a parade for Elizabeth II's [[King's Official Birthday|official birthday]]]]
In July 2007, prime minister [[Gordon Brown]] unveiled plans to have the Union Flag flown more often from government buildings.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6276280.stm |work=[[BBC News]] |title=Brown lifts ban on national flag |date=6 July 2007 |access-date=26 May 2010}}</ref> While consultation on new guidelines was under way, the decision to fly the flag could be made by each government department.{{update inline |date=September 2012}} 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Union flag to be flown on UK Government buildings every day |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/union-flag-to-be-flown-on-uk-government-buildings-every-day |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |access-date=27 July 2021}}</ref>

Previously, the flag was generally only flown on public buildings on days marking the birthdays of members of the [[British royal family|royal family]], the [[wedding anniversary]] of the monarch, [[Commonwealth Day]], [[Accession Day]], [[Coronation Day]], the [[King's Official Birthday|monarch's official birthday]], [[Remembrance Sunday]], and on the days of the State Opening and [[Legislative session#Common procedure|prorogation]] of Parliament. Non-government organisations were (and are) permitted to fly the Union Flag whenever they choose.

The latest specified set of days when the Union Flag should be flown from government buildings throughout the UK are:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/guidance/designated-days-for-union-flag-flying |title=Union Flag flying guidance for UK government buildings |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |date=5 February 2024 |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref>
* Second Monday in March ([[Commonwealth Day]])
* 9 April (anniversary of the [[Wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles|wedding of The King and The Queen]])
* 6 May (anniversary of the [[Coronation of Charles III and Camilla|coronation of The King and The Queen]])
* Second Saturday in June ([[King's Official Birthday|official birthday of The King]])
* 21 June (birthday of [[William, Prince of Wales|The Prince of Wales]])
* 17 July (birthday of [[Queen Camilla|The Queen]])
* 8 September (anniversary of the accession of [[Charles III|The King]])
* Second Sunday in November ([[Remembrance Sunday]])
* 14 November (actual birthday of The King)

[[File:Union Jack at half mast, Island Harbour marina, Isle of Wight, England (2).jpg|thumb|A Union Jack at half-mast after the [[death of Elizabeth II]] in September 2022]]

In addition, the flag should be flown in the following areas on these days:
* [[Wales]], 1 March: [[Saint David's Day]]
* [[Northern Ireland]], 17 March: [[Saint Patrick's Day]]
* [[England]], 23 April: [[Saint George's Day]]
* [[Scotland]], 30 November: [[Saint Andrew's Day]]
* [[Greater London]]: the opening and proroguing of Parliament

The Union Flag is flown at [[half-mast]] from the announcement of the death of the sovereign (save for Proclamation Day), or upon command of the sovereign.<ref name="dcms">{{cite web |url=http://www.culture.gov.uk/flagflying/default.htm |publisher=[[Department of Culture, Media and Sport]] |title=Flag Flying |access-date=9 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223232022/http://www.culture.gov.uk/flagflying/default.htm |archive-date=23 December 2008}}</ref>

On 30 November, [[Saint Andrew's Day|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.<ref name="scotland">{{cite web |title=Flag Flying 2011 |url=http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/royal-ceremonial/Flag-Flying-2011 |publisher=[[Scottish Government]] |date=27 July 2011 |access-date=9 January 2012}}</ref> This difference arose after [[Member of the Scottish Parliament|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.<ref name="agree">{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/1997980.stm |work=[[BBC News]] |title=Ministers agree flag day review |date=20 May 2002 |access-date=9 January 2012}}</ref>

===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.<ref>{{cite act |year=2000 |number=347 |title=The Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2000/347/pdfs/nisr_20000347_en.pdf}}</ref>

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.<ref name=FFitUK>{{cite book |first1=Graham |last1=Bartram |author2=Flags & Heraldry Committee |title=Flying Flags in the United Kingdom |url=http://www.flaginstitute.org/pdfs/Flying_Flags_in_the_United_Kingdom.pdf |type=PDF |publisher=[[Flag Institute|The Flag Institute]] |location=London |date=2010 |isbn=978-0-9513286-1-3 |access-date=13 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611185831/http://www.flaginstitute.org/pdfs/Flying_Flags_in_the_United_Kingdom.pdf |archive-date=11 June 2014 }}</ref>

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.<ref name=FFitUK/><ref name="fotw-canada">{{FOTW|id=ca_prtcl|title=Canadian Flag Etiquette}}</ref>

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.<ref name=Flagsofworld />

==== Position of Honour ====
[[File:Gibraltar GM 2008 (61).JPG|thumb|The Union Jack, with the flags of the European Union and Gibraltar on its sides. The Union Flag is placed in a raised, central position.]]
According to the UK Flag Protocol, the order of precedence of flags in the United Kingdom is: the [[Royal Standard of the United Kingdom|Royal Standards]], the Union Flag, the flag of the host country (England, Scotland and Wales etc.), the flags of other nations (in [[English language|English]] [[alphabetical order]]), the [[Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth Flag]], the county flags, the flags of cities or towns, the banners of arms, and the house flags.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/british-flags-2/flying-flags-in-the-united-kingdom/british-flag-protocol/#index29 |title=UK Flag Protocol – Position of Honour |access-date=7 July 2020 |archive-date=7 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200707074916/https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/british-flags-2/flying-flags-in-the-united-kingdom/british-flag-protocol/#index29 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== 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 [[Flag of Gibraltar|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 (flag)|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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.naco.uk.com/assets/Uploads/flagprotocol.pdf  |title=A Guide to Flag Protocol in the United Kingdom (An extract from the book "British Flags and Emblems") |last=Bartram |first=Graham |date=2002 |website=www.naco.uk.com |publisher=The National Association of Civic Officers (NACO) |access-date=5 September 2021 |quote=General Precedence: The Royal Standard; The Personal Flag of HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother; The Personal Flag of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh; The Personal Flag of HRH The Prince of Wales; The Personal Flag of HRH Prince William of Wales; The Personal Flag of HRH The Duke of York; The Personal Flag of HRH The Earl of Wessex; The Personal Flag of HRH The Princess Royal; The Personal Flag of HRH The Duke of Gloucester; The Personal Flag of HRH The Duke of Kent; The Personal Flag of HRH Prince Michael of Kent; The Personal Flag of HRH Princess Alexandra; The Other Members' Standard; The Union Flag; The White Ensign of the Royal Navy; The Ensign of the Royal Air Force; The Blue and Red Ensigns; National Flag of the host constituent nation, crown dependency or over-seas territory; National Flags of England, Scotland, Wales, Crown dependencies and overseas territories; National Flags of other nations (in English alphabetical order); The United Nations Flag; The Commonwealth Flag; The European Union Flag; The British Army Flag; Counties and Metropolitan Cities; Other Cities and Towns; Banners of Arms (both personal and corporate); House Flags}}</ref>

==Status outside the United Kingdom==
===Australia===
[[File:SLNSW 6429 First Australianborn Governor General Sir Isaac Isaccs takes the salute from the steps of the then new Parliament House his AidedeCamp Captain Bracegirdle on left the press photographer is Alec Bell.jpg|thumb|The [[Flag of Australia|Australian ensign]] and Union Jack hung vertically from Australia's [[Old Parliament House, Canberra|Parliament House]], 1931]]
The Union Flag was used formally as the Australian national flag until 1953, having official precedence over the [[Flag of Australia|Australian Blue Ensign]], though the latter was used by government and informally.{{sfn|Kwan|2006|p=10}} 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".{{sfn|Kwan|2006|p=8}}

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 1953|Flags Act]].{{sfn|Kwan|2006|p=8}}'' 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".{{sfn|Kwan|2006|p=106}} Additionally, Australian prime minister [[Robert Menzies]] told Australians that the Union Flag would be flown together with the Australian national flag "on notable occasions".{{sfn|Kwan|2006|p=8}} 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.{{sfn|Kwan|2006|p=6}}

===Canada===
{{further|List of Canadian flags}}
[[File:North-West Mounted Police standing next to American and British flags marking the boundary between Alaska and British Columbia (HEGG 446).jpeg|thumb|The Union Flag and the [[flag of the United States|U.S. flag]] at the [[Canada–United States border|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.<ref name=pch>{{cite web|url=https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/flag-canada-history.html|title=History of the National Flag of Canada|publisher=Department of Canadian Heritage|access-date=27 November 2019|date=4 February 2019|website=canada.ca|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190912202105/https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/flag-canada-history.html|archive-date=12 September 2019}}</ref><ref name=can3>{{cite web|url=https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/flag-canada-etiquette/foreign-flags.html#a1|title=The Royal Union Flag|publisher=Government of Canada|work=www.canada.ca|access-date=5 March 2020|date=8 May 2018}}</ref> 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]]".<ref name=ruf2>{{cite web|url=https://www.canada.ca/en/services/defence/caf/military-identity-system/heritage-manual/chapter-4/section-8.html|title=Section 8: Other Flags|publisher=Department of National Defence|access-date=27 November 2019|date=4 February 2019|website=canada.ca|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200122141521/https://www.canada.ca/en/services/defence/caf/military-identity-system/heritage-manual/chapter-4/section-8.html|archive-date=22 January 2020}}</ref>

====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".<ref name=pch/>

In addition to the Union Jack, during the late 19th century, a red ensign defaced with the [[arms of Canada]] was also used as an informal flag of Canada. The defaced red ensign, later known as the [[Canadian Red Ensign]], was eventually authorised for official use as the country's civil ensign in 1892. Although the Canadian Red Ensign was only formally authorised as a civil ensign, it was also viewed as a ''de facto'' national flag, as it was a uniquely Canadian symbol.<ref name=pch/>
[[File:VE Day celebrations on Bay Street 1945.jpg|thumb|left|[[VE Day]] celebrations in [[Toronto]] in 1945, with several buildings flying the Union Jack and several people waving the flag.]]
In 1964, Canadian Prime Minister [[Lester B. Pearson]] introduced plans to replace the Union Flag with a new national flag, spurring the [[Great Canadian flag debate]].<ref name=pch/> A new national flag, the ''Maple Leaf'', was approved by the [[parliament of Canada]] on 18 December 1964.<ref name=pch/><ref name=ggcanada>{{cite web|url=https://www.gg.ca/en/heraldry/public-register/project/463|title=Royal Union Flag, 1801|website=www.gg.ca|publisher=Governor General of Canada|access-date=11 July 2025}}</ref> 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.<ref name=ruf2/> On 15 February 1965, the maple leaf flag formally replaced the Union Flag as the flag of Canada following an official proclamation by [[Elizabeth II]],<ref name=pch/> with the Royal Union Flag becoming an official ceremonial flag.<ref name=ruf2/> The Royal Union Flag's specific use as approved by parliament was registered with the [[Canadian Heraldic Authority]] in May 2005.<ref name=ggcanada/>

The Union Flag was also legislated as the national flag for the [[Dominion of Newfoundland]] in 1931, a separate [[dominion]] of the British Empire. [[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]] retained the Union Flag as a provincial flag after it joined the Canadian confederation in 1949, reaffirmed through the 1952 Revised Statutes of Newfoundland. In 1980, the [[Flag of Newfoundland and Labrador|flag of Newfoundland]] was adopted as the new provincial flag, with the design for the new flag of Newfoundland being derived from the Union Flag.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/society/post-confederation-flags.php|website=www.heritage.nf.ca|publisher=Heritage Newfoundland and Labrador|title=Post-Confederation Flags|access-date=17 November 2024|year=2024}}</ref>

====Protocol====
[[File:Ottawa on Commonwealth Day (March 14) 2022.jpg|thumb|upright|The Royal Union Flag in [[Ottawa]] 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.<ref name=can3/> When used to represent the United Kingdom, the flag takes precedence before the flag of a Canadian province or territory. However, when the flag is used as a ceremonial flag of Canada, the flag of a Canadian province or territory takes precedence before the Royal Union Flag.<ref name=can3/>

The parliamentary resolution requires the Royal Union Flag to be flown alongside the national flag of Canada (if there are at least two flag poles available) on federal properties on [[Commonwealth Day]], [[Victoria Day]] (the [[King's Official Birthday#Canada|monarch's official birthday]] in Canada), 11 December (the anniversary of the enactment of the [[Statute of Westminster 1931|Statute of Westminster, 1931]]), and when otherwise instructed to do so by the [[National Defence Headquarters]].<ref name=ruf2/><ref name=can3/> The Royal Union Flag may also be formally flown alongside the flag of Canada at federal locations in Canada for ceremonies, anniversaries, and other events relating to the [[Canadian Armed Forces]] or other forces in the Commonwealth.<ref name=ruf2/><ref name=can3/>

Items and properties that the parliamentary resolution applies to includes buildings operated by the federal government, military installations, federally-operated airports, at the masthead of [[Royal Canadian Navy]] ships within Canadian waters, and other appropriate establishments. The requirement for federal properties to fly the Royal Union Flag applies only when there are two or more flagpoles on the property, to ensure that the national flag of Canada is not taken down in place of the Royal Union Flag.<ref name=ruf2/><ref name=can3/><ref>{{cite web|author=Evan Dyer |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/we-stand-on-guard-for-whom-union-jack-at-crossing-sends-mixed-message-1.2648862 |title=We Stand on Guard for Whom? Union Jack at crossing sends mixed message – Ottawa – CBC News |website=Cbc.ca |access-date=3 December 2015}}</ref>

===New Zealand===
[[File:1888-1889 Natives Tour.jpg|thumb|The [[1888–89 New Zealand Native football team]] 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]].<ref name=nzflag>{{cite web|url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/flags-of-new-zealand/union-jack|title=Flags of New Zealand Page 3 – Union Jack|website=nzhistory.govt.nz|publisher=New Zealand Government|date=11 May 2015|access-date=7 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200122030429/https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/flags-of-new-zealand/union-jack|archive-date=22 January 2020}}</ref> 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]].<ref name=nzflag/> British maritime flags were used by New Zealand vessels until 1865.<ref name=nzflag/> After the passage of the [[Colonial Naval Defence Act 1865]], vessels of the New Zealand government used a defaced [[blue ensign]] issued by the colonial government.

The [[flag of New Zealand|current national flag of New Zealand]] was given official standing under the New Zealand Ensign Act in 1902, replacing the Union Flag.<ref name=nzflag/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scoutingtorlesse.org/Scouts/Resources/The_New_Zealand_Flag.pdf |title=The New Zealand Flag |website=Scouting New Zealand |access-date=9 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728005107/http://www.scoutingtorlesse.org/Scouts/Resources/The_New_Zealand_Flag.pdf |archive-date=28 July 2011 }}</ref> However, the Union Flag continued to see tandem use with the national flag of New Zealand into the 1950s.<ref name=nzflag/>

===South Africa===
The Union Jack was used as the flag of a variety of colonies in South Africa since 1795. The Union Jack was retained as the official flag of the [[Union of South Africa]] after its formation in 1910. In addition to the Union Jack, from 1910 to 1928, the [[South African Red Ensign]] was also treated as an unofficial flag of the union.

Proposals to adopt a national flag were made during the 1920s. In 1927, the Union Nationality and Flag Act was passed by the [[Parliament of South Africa]], which named both the Union Jack and the {{lang|af|[[Flag of South Africa (1928–1994)|Oranje, Blanje, Blou]]}} flag of South Africa as the flags of the union, both co-equal in status. The {{lang|af|Oranje, Blanje, Blou}} flag also incorporated the Union Jack in its design, alongside the [[flag of the Orange Free State]] and the [[flag of the South African Republic]]. The Union Jack was to be flown alongside the {{lang|af|Oranje, Blanje, Blou}} at principal government buildings in the capitals, at Union ports, on government offices abroad, and at such other places as the government might determine.<ref name=unfa>Union Nationality and Flags Act 1927 (renamed 'Flags Act 1927' in 1949).</ref><ref name=sava>Radburn, A.  'South Africa's Dual Flag Arrangement, 1928–1957' in 
[http://www.savaflags.org.za ''SAVA Newsletter''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426120727/http://www.savaflags.org.za/ |date=26 April 2018 }} SN 74/16 (April 2016).</ref> 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 Court of South Africa|supreme courts]], certain [[Magistrate's court (South Africa)|magistrates' courts]], customs houses, and three buildings in [[Durban]] (the general post office, the [[Durban railway station|railway station]], and the local [[Natal Command|military district headquarters]]).<ref name=iff31>''Government Gazette'' 1953 (29 May 1931) : Government Notice 376.</ref><ref name=sava /> Under these arrangements, the Union Jack was subordinate to the {{lang|af|Oranje, Blanje, Blou}}.  As the two flags had to be the same size, it meant that the Union Jack was made in the ratio 2:3 rather than the usual 1:2.<ref name=iff31 /><ref name=sava />

This dual arrangement continued until 1957, when the Flags Amendment Act was passed naming the {{lang|af|Oranje, Blanje, Blou}} as the sole flag of South Africa.<ref name=faa>Flags Amendment Act 1957</ref> The {{lang|af|Oranje, Blanje, Blou}} 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====
[[File:2014 Hong Kong new year march 11.jpg|thumb|The Union Jack alongside the [[Flag of Hong Kong (1959–1997)|colonial Hong Kong flag]], during the 2014 [[Hong Kong new year marches|new year march]] in Hong Kong]]
The Union Flag was formerly used in Hong Kong when it was a [[British Overseas Territory|British Dependent Territory]]. Official use of the Union Flag and the [[Flag of Hong Kong (1959–1997)|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 (Hong Kong)|pro-democracy camp]] during the [[2014 Hong Kong protests]], and the [[2019–20 Hong Kong protests]].<ref name=reuters>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-extradition-wong/flag-waving-grandma-wong-gives-hong-kong-protesters-lesson-in-endurance-idUSKCN1TY124|title=Flag-waving Grandma Wong gives Hong Kong protesters lesson in endurance|last=Roantree|first=Anne Marie|date=3 July 2019|access-date=26 June 2020|work=Reuters|publisher=Thomson Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | last1 = Parry | first1 = Richard Lloyd | last2 = Blet | first2 = Raphael | title = Colonial nostalgia rules in Hong Kong as young refuse to accept China's authority | date = 14 June 2019 | url = https://www.thetimes.com/world/asia/article/colonial-nostalgia-rules-as-young-refuse-to-accept-beijing-rule-gswccq0vf | work = [[The Times]] | access-date = 5 July 2019 }}</ref> The flag has been displayed at other pro-democracy events in Hong Kong, including the [[Hong Kong new year marches|new year marches]] and the [[Hong Kong 1 July marches|1 July marches]]. Members of the [[Hong Kong Autonomy Movement]], the [[Hong Kong independence]] movement and [[Localism in Hong Kong|Hong Kong localists]] have been seen wielding the Union Flag or the colonial flag of Hong Kong.<ref name=hkfp/>

However, the meaning behind the use of the flags by pro-democracy protestors, including the Union Flag, remains disputed with protestors citing a variety of reasons for flying it.<ref name=scmp>{{cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3023817/are-hong-kong-protesters-pro-american-or-british-when-they|title=Are Hong Kong protesters pro-American or British when they wave the US and UK flags? The answer is complicated|last=Sum|first=Lok-kei|work=South China Morning Post|publisher=SCMP Publishers|date=22 August 2019|access-date=26 June 2020}}</ref> 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.<ref name=scmp/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/26/asia/hong-kong-protest-xi-jinping/index.html|title=Hong Kong handover: The protest symbols China's scared of|work=CNN|publisher=WarnerMedia|last=Griffiths|first=James|date=26 June 2016|access-date=25 June 2020}}</ref>  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.<ref name=scmp/><ref>{{Citation | first = Paris | last = Gourtsoyannis | title = Union flags in Hong Kong are a symbol of failed China policy | date = 13 June 2019 | publisher = The Scotsman | url = https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/union-flags-in-hong-kong-are-a-symbol-of-failed-china-policy-paris-gourtsoyannis-1-4947118 | access-date = 5 July 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{Citation | last = Hannan | first = Daniel | title = Hong Kongers know the values behind the Union flag – but do the British? | date = 15 June 2019 | newspaper = The Telegraph | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/06/15/hong-kongers-know-values-behind-union-flag-do-british/ | access-date = 5 July 2019 }}</ref>

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".<ref name=reuters/><ref name=hkfp>{{cite web|url=https://hongkongfp.com/2019/07/13/explainer-conflicting-messages-behind-protesters-use-colonial-hong-kong-flag/|title=Explainer: The conflicting messages behind protesters' use of the colonial Hong Kong flag|last=Chan|first=Holmes|date=13 July 2019|access-date=26 June 2020|publisher=Hong Kong Free Press|website=hongkongfp.com}}</ref> 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]].<ref name=scmp/>  Several Hongkongers that hold [[British National (Overseas)]] passports who used the flag during the protests were doing so as a call to the British government to grant British National (Overseas) the right to abode in the United Kingdom.<ref name=scmp/> Although a small number of Hongkongers seek direct British intervention into the matter, the majority of those that used the Union Flag or the colonial flag of Hong Kong during the protests do not hold such beliefs.<ref name=hkfp/>

The use of foreign flags at the protests, including the Union Flag, has been cited multiple times by the central government of China as evidence for their claim that foreign interference is steering the protests in Hong Kong against the central government.<ref name=scmp/> Conversely, several protestors in the pro-democracy camp have also criticised the use of foreign flags, who view their use as reinforcing the claims made by the central government of China.<ref name=scmp/>

====Italy====
After the [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum|British referendum]] on membership of the [[European Union]] resulted in a vote to [[Brexit|leave]], the Union Flag became a symbol of [[euroscepticism]] in Italy. In August 2016, many local businesses along the [[Italian Riviera|Italian riviera]] hoisted the flags as a protest against the implementation of the [[Services in the Internal Market Directive 2006]].<ref name="Ghiglione2">{{cite news |last=Ghiglione |first=Davide |date=5 August 2015 |title=Italian beach operators hoist British flag in protest at EU law |url=https://www.ft.com/content/8ae4e4e8-5ae9-11e6-9f70-badea1b336d4 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/8ae4e4e8-5ae9-11e6-9f70-badea1b336d4 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |access-date=9 February 2017 |newspaper=Financial Times}}</ref>

==Use in other flags==
{{further|Historical flags of the British Empire and the overseas territories|List of countries and territories with the Union Jack displayed on their flag}}

===National and regional flags===
[[File:Arthur Mees Flags of A Free Empire 1910 Cornell CUL PJM 1167 01 (Reddit source).jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Map of the [[British Empire]] 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 (flag)|canton]]'' (upper flagpole-side quarter) of the [[Historical flags of the British Empire and the overseas territories|flags]] of many colonies of Britain, while the ''[[field (heraldry)|field]]'' (background) of their flags was the colour of the [[British ensigns#History|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 Protectorate|Bechuanaland]] (now Botswana), [[Borneo]], [[British rule in Burma|Burma]], [[Canada]], [[British Ceylon|Ceylon]] (now Sri Lanka), [[British Cyprus|Cyprus]], [[Dominica]], [[British East Africa|British East Africa (Kenya Colony)]], [[Gambia]], [[Gold Coast (British colony)|Gold Coast (Ghana)]], [[Grenada]], [[British Guiana|Guiana]], [[British Hong Kong|Hong Kong]], [[Colony of Jamaica|Jamaica]], [[Labuan|Labuan (Malaysia)]], [[Lagos]], [[Crown Colony of Malta|Malta]], [[British Mauritius|Mauritius]], [[Colonial Nigeria|Nigeria]], [[Mandatory Palestine|Palestine]], [[Penang|Penang (Malaysia)]], [[Southern Rhodesia|Rhodesia]] (now Zimbabwe), [[Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate|Sierra Leone]], [[Singapore]], [[British Somaliland|Somaliland]], [[Union of South Africa|South Africa]], [[Anglo-Egyptian Sudan]], [[British Raj|Pre-partitioned India]] (present-day [[India]], [[Pakistan]], [[Bangladesh]], and [[Myanmar]]), [[Tanganyika (territory)|Tanganyika]], [[Trinidad and Tobago]], [[Uganda Protectorate|Uganda]], the [[United States]], and [[Weihaiwei under British rule|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.

{{multiple image
| image1            = Flag of Australia (converted).svg
| alt1              = 
| caption1          = [[Flag of Australia]]
| image2            = Flag of Fiji.svg
| alt2              = 
| caption2          = [[Flag of Fiji]]
| align             = left
| image3            = Flag of New Zealand.svg
| alt3              = 
| caption3          = [[Flag of New Zealand]]
| image4            = Flag of Tuvalu.svg
| alt4              = 
| caption4          = [[Flag of Tuvalu]]
| footer            = National flags of sovereign states whose design incorporates a Union Jack in their canton
| total_width       = 265
| image_gap         = 2
| perrow            = 2
}}

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 [[1987 Fijian coups d'état|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uelac.org/Loyalist-Monuments/Loyalist-Flag.php|title=History of the Loyalist Flag|publisher=United Empire Loyalists Association of Canada|access-date=18 March 2020|website=www.uelac.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923234311/http://www.uelac.org/Loyalist-Monuments/Loyalist-Flag.php|archive-date=23 September 2019}}</ref>

Along with the national flag, many other [[List of Australian flags|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 Flag]]s. 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Australian State and Territory Flags |url=https://www.flagsaustralia.com.au/StateFlags.html |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=Flags Australia |publisher=Flag Society of Australia Inc.}}</ref>

The [[Basque Country (historical territory)|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]].
{{multiple image
| align             = left
| total_width       = 265
| perrow            = 2
| image1            = Flag of the United States (1776–1777).svg
| alt1              = 
| caption1          = Flag of the United States<br />(1776–1777)
| image2            = Flag of Hawaii (1816).svg
| alt2              = 
| caption2          = Flag of the Kingdom of Hawaii<br />(1816–1845)
| alt3              = 
| image3            = Flag of the Tamatave Kingdom (1826-1828).svg
| caption3          = Flag of the [[Tamatave|Tamatave Kingdom]]<br />(1826–1828)
| image4            = Flag of South Africa (1928–1994).svg
| caption4          = [[Flag of South Africa (1928–1994)]]
| footer            = Former national flags that incorporated the Union Jack in their design
}}

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 [[Hawaiian Kingdom|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 [[Flag of Taunton, Massachusetts|a defaced Red Ensign variant]] featuring the old-style Union Jack and has since 1974, as does [[Weymouth Township, New Jersey]].<ref name="CRW">{{cite web |last1=Gregg |first1=Tom |title=Taunton Flag (U.S.) |url=http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us-taun.html |access-date=2 October 2016 |website=CRW Flags}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Poposki |first1=Valentin |title=Weymouth, New Jersey |url=https://www.crwflags.com/FOTW/FLAGS/us-njwey.html |access-date=8 March 2020 |website=[[Flags of the World]]}}</ref>  [[Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania]], has been known to fly a flag containing the King's Colours since 1973.<ref>{{FOTW|id=us-pa-wc|title=Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (U.S.)}}</ref>

The Union Jack also appeared on both the 1910–1928 and 1928–1994 [[South African Flag#History|flags]] of South Africa. The [[South Africa Red Ensign|1910–1928 flag]] was a [[Red Ensign]] with the [[Coat of arms of South Africa (1910–2000)|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 [[South African Republic|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 [[Flag of the Netherlands|Dutch tricolour]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gumede |first=Rachael |date=2015-09-23 |title=South African Flag: Colors, Meaning & Rules About The National Symbol |url=https://buzzsouthafrica.com/interesting-facts-about-south-african-flag/ |access-date=2022-10-09 |website=BuzzSouthAfrica |language=en-US}}</ref>

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 [[Second French Empire|France]], there was also contained the [[flag of Prussia]] nearby, but it was removed around 1917.

The flag of the [[Chile]]an city of [[Coquimbo]] features the Union Jack, owing to its historical commercial links to Britain.

<!-- this gallery is for examples (not an exhaustive list) of current usages of the Union Jack at country, province/state or city level -->
{{gallery
|title=Selected British colonial and overseas territorial flags that incorporate the Union Jack|mode=nolines|whitebg=y|height=100
|Flag of Bermuda.svg|The [[flag of Bermuda]], a British Overseas Territory
|Flag of the British Indian Ocean Territory.svg|The [[flag of the British Indian Ocean Territory]], a British Overseas Territory
|Flag of the British Virgin Islands.svg|The flag of [[British Virgin Islands]], a British Overseas Territory
|Flag of the Cayman Islands.svg|The [[flag of the Cayman Islands]], a British Overseas Territory
|Flag of the Cook Islands.svg|The [[flag of the Cook Islands]], an Overseas territory of New Zealand.
|Flag of the Falkland Islands.svg|The flag of the [[Falkland Islands]], a British Overseas Territory
|Flag of Burma (1939–1941, 1945–1948).svg|The flag of [[British Burma]] (1939–1948)
|Flag of Cyprus (1922–1960).svg|The flag of [[British Cyprus]] (1922–1960)
|Flag of British Heligoland.svg|The flag of [[Heligoland#19th century|British Heligoland]] (1807–1890)
|British Raj Red Ensign.svg|The [[flag of India]] (1885–1947)
|Flag of Ceylon (1875–1948).svg|The [[flag of Ceylon]] (1875–1948)
|Flag of the Cook Islands Federation.svg|The flag of the [[Cook Islands Federation]] (1893–1901)
|Flag of Hong Kong 1959.svg|The [[flag of Hong Kong]] (1959–1997)
|Flag of Malta (1943–1964).svg|The [[flag of Malta]] (1943–1964)
|Flag of Rhodesia (1964–1968).svg|The [[Flag of Southern Rhodesia#Rhodesia|flag of Rhodesia]] (1964–1968)
|Flag of Singapore (1952–1959).svg|The [[flag of Singapore]] (1952–1959)
|Flag of Trinidad and Tobago (1958–1962).svg|The [[flag of Trinidad and Tobago|flag of British Trinidad and Tobago]] (1958–1962)
|Flag of the United States of the Ionian Islands.svg|The [[flag of the United States of the Ionian Islands]] (1815–1864)
|British Weihaiwei flag.svg|The [[flag of Weihaiwei]] (1903–1930)
}}
{{gallery
|title=Selected regional and community flags that incorporate the Union Jack|mode=nolines|whitebg=y|height=100
|Flag of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.svg|The [[flag of Baton Rouge, Louisiana]]
|Flag of British Columbia.svg|The [[flag of British Columbia]], a Canadian province
|Flag of Coquimbo.svg|The flag of [[Coquimbo]], Chile
|File:Flag of Hawaii.svg|The [[flag of Hawaii]], a U.S. state
|Flag_of_Manitoba.svg|The [[flag of Manitoba]], a Canadian province
|Murray River Flag (Combined).svg|Combined [[Murray River Flag]] (Combined)
|Murray River Flag (Lower).svg|[[Murray River Flag]] (Lower)
|Murray River Flag (Upper).svg|[[Murray River Flag]] (Upper)
|Flag of Newfoundland_and_Labrador.svg|The [[flag of Newfoundland and Labrador]], a Canadian province
|Flag of Ontario.svg|The [[flag of Ontario]], a Canadian province
|Flag of Queensland.svg|The [[flag of Queensland]], an Australian state
|Flag of Taunton, Massachusetts.svg|The flag of [[Taunton, Massachusetts]]
|File:Flag of Victoria (Australia).svg|The [[flag of Victoria (Australia)|Flag of Victoria]], an Australian state
}}

===Ensigns===
{{further|British ensigns}}
{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2011|reason=no refs}}
The Union Flag can be found in the canton of several of the [[Ensign (flag)|ensign]]s flown by vessels and aircraft of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. These are used in cases where it is illegal 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 [[List of New Zealand flags#Ensigns|New Zealand]] and [[List of Australian flags#Military and naval flags|Australia]]) with the Union Flag in the canton. Other Commonwealth countries (such as [[Indian Military Flags|India]] and [[List of Jamaican flags#Ensigns|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
|Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg|[[White Ensign|Royal Navy White Ensign]]
|Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg|[[Merchant Navy (United Kingdom)|Merchant Navy]] [[Red Ensign]]
|Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg|[[Royal Air Force Ensign]]
|Civil Air Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg|[[British Civil Air Ensign]]
|Government Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg|[[Blue Ensign]]
|Flag of Her Majesty's Coastguard.svg|[[HM Coastguard]] Ensign
|Ensign of the British Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses.svg|Ensign of the [[Northern Lighthouse Board]]
|Government Ensign of Bermuda.svg|Blue ensign flown by vessels of the [[Government of Bermuda]]'s ''Department of Marine and Ports'' and [[Bermuda Police Service|Bermuda Police Service Marine Section]]
|Civil Ensign of the Isle of Man.svg|[[Isle of Man]] Red Ensign
|Government Ensign of Gibraltar.svg|Gibraltar State Ensign
|Civil Ensign of the Cayman Islands.svg|[[Cayman Islands]] Red Ensign
|Naval Ensign of Australia.svg|[[Australian White Ensign|Royal Australian Navy Ensign]]
|Ensign of the Royal Australian Air Force.svg|[[Royal Australian Air Force Ensign]]
|Civil Ensign of Australia.svg|[[Australian Red Ensign|Australian Civil Ensign]]
|Civil Air Ensign of Australia.svg|[[Australian Civil Aviation Ensign]]
|Canadian Red Ensign 1957-1965.svg|[[Canadian Red Ensign|Canadian Civil Ensign]] (1957–1965)
|Blue Ensign of Canada (1957–1965).svg|[[Flags of the Royal Canadian Navy|Canadian Naval Jack]] (1957–1965)
|Air Force ensign of Canada (1941–1968).svg|[[Royal Canadian Air Force Ensign]] (1940–1965)
|Flag of the Air Board of Canada (1922–1923).svg|[[Air Board (Canada)|Canadian Air Board]] Ensign (1922–1923)
|Flag of the Canadian Army (1939–1944).svg|[[Canadian Army]] Battle flag (1939–1944)
|Ensign of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets (1953-1976).svg|[[Royal Canadian Sea Cadets]] Ensign (1953–1976)
|NLC Flag 1929-65.svg|[[Navy League of Canada]] Ensign (1929–1965)
|Flag of the Dominion of Newfoundland.svg|[[Dominion of Newfoundland]] Civil Ensign (1907–1931)
|Civil Air Ensign of New Zealand.svg|[[New Zealand Civil Air Ensign]]
|Ensign of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.svg|[[Royal New Zealand Air Force]] Ensign
|Naval Ensign of New Zealand.svg|[[New Zealand White Ensign|Royal New Zealand Navy Ensign]]
|Civil Ensign of New Zealand.svg|New Zealand Civil Ensign
|Naval Ensign of Fiji.svg|[[Fiji]]an Naval Ensign
|Civil Ensign of Fiji.svg|Fijian Civil Ensign
|Civil Air Ensign of Fiji.svg|Fijian Civil Air Ensign
|Civil Air Ensign of Australia (1935–1948).svg|[[Australian Civil Aviation Ensign]] (1935–1948)
|Van Diemens Land Ensign.svg|Unofficial [[Van Diemen's Land Ensign]]
|Air Force Ensign of Australia (1948–1982).svg|[[Royal Australian Air Force Ensign]] (1948–1982)
|Victorian red ensign.svg|[[Flag of Victoria (Australia)|Victorian Red Ensign (1870–1877)]]
|Flag of Imperial India.svg|[[Royal Indian Navy]] Ensign
|Ensign of the Royal Indian Army Service Corps.svg|[[British Indian Army|Indian Army]] Ensign
|Flag of the British East India Company (1801).svg|[[East India Company]] Ensign
|Civil Ensign of Jersey.svg|[[Jersey Red Ensign]]
|Government Service Ensign.svg|[[Government Service Ensign]]
|Ensign of the Sea Cadet Corps.svg|Ensign of the [[Sea Cadets (United Kingdom)|Sea Cadet Corps]]
|Ensign of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.svg|Ensign of the [[Royal Bermuda Yacht Club]]
|title=}}

===Others===
{{anchor|Pilot Jack}}<!-- for redirects -->
{{more citations needed section|date=May 2011|reason=needs more refs}}
[[File:Civil Jack of the United Kingdom.svg|thumb|right|alt=Union Flag with thick white border comprising about half of the area of the flag.|A ''Pilot Jack'', a flag design that has a Union Jack at its centre, with a white border around it]]
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{{clarify |reason=What book? |date=September 2012}} issued to British [[consul (representative)|consul]]s 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."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/21/data.pdf |title=Merchant Shipping Act 1995 |website=UK Public General Acts |publisher=[[The National Archives (United Kingdom)|The National Archives]] |date=19 July 1995 |access-date=17 January 2010}}</ref> The Flag Institute listed the white bordered Union Flag as "Civil Jack".<ref name="british-flag-protocol" />

[[File:Naval Jack of Royal Indian Marine.svg|thumb|right|alt=Union Flag with thick blue border the thickness of one-fifth the breadth of the flag.|Naval Jack of [[Royal Indian Navy|Royal Indian Marine]] (1884-1928), a flag design that has a Union Jack at its centre, with a blue border around it]]
From 1884 until 1928, the [[Royal Indian Marine]] flew a modified Union Jack bordered with blue as its jack. From 11 November 1928 until its dissolution in 1947, it substituted the [[Blue Ensign]] defaced with the [[Flags of British India#Emblem|Star of India emblem]] as jack and flew the British [[White ensign]] as ensign.<ref>{{Cite web |title=
Flags and Ensigns with the Star of India |url=https://www.fotw.info/flags/in-colon.html#flag |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240829044432/https://www.fotw.info/flags/in-colon.html#flag |archive-date=29 August 2024 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=www.crwflags.com/fotw |publisher=FOTW Flags Of The World |place= }}</ref>

[[File:Hudsons Bay Company Flag.svg|thumb|left|The former [[flag of the Hudson's Bay Company]], used from 1801 to 1965.]]
The [[Hudson's Bay Company]] (HBC) was one of a few non-government institutions using the Union Jack in part of the flag. HBC rival [[North West Company]] had a similar flag as well. The HBC Red Ensign is no longer in use in 1965 and replaced with a corporate flag featuring the company's coat of arms.
[[File:British Empire flag (1930).svg|thumb|The unofficial [[British Empire flag]] incorporated dominion symbols]]
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 [[Crux|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, [[Commonwealth Day|Empire Day]], and the [[British Empire Exhibition]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Ralph |date=8 August 2017 |title=A flag for the Empire |url=https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ICV27-B8-Kelly.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230813214957/https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ICV27-B8-Kelly.pdf |archive-date=13 August 2023 |access-date=13 August 2023 |website=The Flag Institute |page=}}</ref> It is still flown on special occasions at the [[Dangarsleigh War Memorial]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ingall |first=Jennifer |date=4 June 2021 |title=Why the Dangarsleigh war memorial flies the Empire flag and what it means to the community |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-05/dangarsleigh-memorial-celebrates-century-flying-empire-flag/100180732 |url-status=live |access-date=13 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230813215116/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-05/dangarsleigh-memorial-celebrates-century-flying-empire-flag/100180732 |archive-date=13 August 2023}}</ref>

The Union Jack is the third [[quartering (heraldry)|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.
[[File:Gay Pride flag of the United Kingdom.svg|thumb|left|A pink Union Jack]] <br />
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."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pinkjack.com/about-us/|title=About &#124; PinkJack|date=5 October 2015}}</ref><ref name=Pink>{{cite news |last1=Knowles |first1=Katherine |title=God save the queers |url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2006/07/21/god-save-the-queers |work=[[PinkNews]] |date=July 21, 2006 |access-date=May 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061014051515/https://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/opinion/2005-2030.html |archive-date=October 14, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pink Union Jack |url=https://www.theflagshop.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=pink+union+jack |access-date=November 29, 2023 |publisher=The Flag Shop }}</ref>

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.<ref>{{FOTW|id=cn-kul|title=International Settlement of Kulangsu (Gulangyu, China)}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
[[File:Geri Halliwell in concert cropped.jpg|left|thumb|[[Geri Halliwell]] 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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Top 10 Flags as Brands – Hammond Thinking|url=https://hammondthinking.com/2018/08/01/top-10-flags-as-brands/|access-date=21 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Flag of the United Kingdom|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/flag-of-the-United-Kingdom|access-date=21 February 2021|website=Encyclopedia Britannica}}</ref> This is chiefly due not only to its iconic and unusual design, but the influence of [[Britishness|British]] [[Culture of the United Kingdom|culture]] across the globe as a result of the [[British Empire]], and its resulting presence in several [[Commonwealth of Nations|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 [[Flag of Australia|Australia]] and [[Flag of New Zealand|New Zealand]] have chosen to keep the Union Jack as a symbol of their British heritage, despite numerous attempts to change it.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-20966371 |date=10 January 2013 |title=The union jack: A very complex flag |first=Richard |last=Cable |publisher=BBC Knowledge & Learning}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Calls for a new flag |url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/calls-new-flag |access-date=19 January 2025 |website=nzhistory.govt.nz}}</ref>

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 [[Union Jack dress|Geri Halliwell's dress]] at the [[1997 Brit Awards]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/fashion/fashion-news/news/a40047/story-of-geri-halliwell-union-jack-brits-dress/|title=It has been 20 years since Geri Halliwell wore the Union Jack dress|author=Amy de Klerk|date=22 February 2017|magazine=Harper's Bazaar}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/201202027142/geri-halliwell-launches-new-union-jack-range/ |title=Geri revisits Spice Girls' heyday in Union Jack dress |magazine=Hello Magazine |access-date=3 February 2015 |date=2 February 2012 }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/magazine-21082793 |title=Close Up: Cuba's new love for the Union flag |work=BBC News |access-date=3 December 2015}}</ref>

===Subsumation in corporate branding===
{{multiple image
| image1            = British Airways tails lined up at LHR Terminal 5B Iwelumo.jpg
| alt1              = 
| caption1          = British Airways aircraft bearing ''Chatham Dockyard Union Flag'' tail art
| image2            = Mini F56 2019-02-02.jpg
| alt2              = 
| caption2          = Rear of a [[Mini Hatch]], with "Union Jack" tail lights
| total_width       = 200
| footer            = Branding designs that have incorporated the Union Jack
| image3            = Revival Union Jack Roberts Radio (Model RD60).jpg
| caption3          = A [[Roberts Radio|Roberts Revival]] radio with a Union Jack livery
| direction         = vertical
}}

Commonly the Union Flag is used on computer software and Internet pages as an [[Computer icon|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,<ref>{{cite book |first=Tara |last=Brabazon |year=2000 |title=Tracking the Jack: a retracing of the Antipodes |page=15 |location=Sydney |publisher=[[University of New South Wales Press]] }}</ref> and the Reebok Union Jack has been referred to as a brand icon.<ref name="upshaw">{{cite book |first=Lynn B. |last=Upshaw |title=Building Brand Identity: A Strategy for Success in a Hostile Marketplace |publisher=John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |year=1995 |isbn=978-0-471-04220-4 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/buildingbrandide0000upsh }}</ref> 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 (band)|Oasis]], [[Blur (band)|Blur]], [[Iron Maiden]], [[Def Leppard#Hysteria (1984–1989)|Def Leppard]], and the [[Spice Girls#Cool Britannia|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 (heraldry)|escutcheon]] cropped from the Union Flag.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/wiki/British_Airways |title=British Airways - Coat of arms (crest) of British Airways |work=Heraldry of the World |access-date=24 February 2022 |archive-date=24 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224013900/https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/wiki/British_Airways }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/about-ba/history-and-heritage/uniforms/ba-uniforms |title=BA Uniforms |publisher=British Airways |date= |access-date=25 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4JdQi60an0 |title=Aviators, British Airways To Fly To Serve |date=22 September 2016 |publisher=British Airways |via=YouTube |access-date=24 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://londonairtravel.com/2019/08/16/british-airways-100-years-british-airways-coat-of-arms/ |title=BA100: 41. The British Airways Coat Of Arms |publisher=London Air Travel |date=16 August 2019 |access-date=26 May 2022}}</ref>

The BMW Mini tail lights are shaped after the Union Jack.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bmwgroup.com/en/brands-and-services/mini.html | title=MINI | access-date=16 August 2022 | archive-date=16 August 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816161804/https://www.bmwgroup.com/en/brands-and-services/mini.html }}</ref>

{{Clear}}

==Gallery==
===Union Flag variants 1606–1801===
{{tree chart/start |summary=Union Flag variants from 1606 to 1801}}
{{tree chart| aa  |y|~| bb  |~|y|~| cc
|aa=[[File:Arms_of_Ireland_(Variant_1)_(Historical).svg|50px]]<br />[[Coat of arms of Ireland]]<br />17th c. ([[Kingdom of Ireland|Ireland]])
|bb=[[File:Flag of England.svg|border|50px]]<br />[[Flag of England|St George's Cross]]<br />16th c. ([[Kingdom of England|England]], incl. Wales)
|cc=[[File:Flag of Scotland.svg|border|50px]]<br />[[Flag of Scotland|St Andrew's Cross]]<br />16th c. ([[Kingdom of Scotland|Scotland]]) 
}}
{{tree chart| |:| |!| | | |,|-|+|-|-|-|.| }}
{{tree chart| |:| dd  | | |!| ff  | | gg
|dd=[[File:Flag of the Commonwealth (1649-1651).svg|border|50px]]<br />[[Flags of the Interregnum (British Isles)|Flag of the<br />Commonwealth]]<br />1649 ([[Commonwealth of England|Commonwealth<br />of England]])
|ff=[[File:Royal Navy Jack 1643.JPG|border|50px]]<br />[[maritime flag|English Naval Jack]]<br />[[Royal Navy]]<br />[[English Civil War|1643]] ([[Kingdom of England|England]])
|gg=[[File:Union Jack 1606 Scotland.svg|border|50px]]<br />[[Union Flag#Scottish Union Flag|Scottish Union Flag]]<br />(Unofficial)<br /> 1606 ([[Kingdom of Scotland|Scotland]])
}}
{{tree chart| |:| | | | | |!| | | | | | | }}
{{tree chart| |L|~|y|~|~| ii  |~|y|~| jj
|ii=[[File:Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg|border|50px]]<br />[[Union Flag#History|Union Flag of 1606]]<br />1606 ([[Union of the Crowns]])<br />[[Declaration of Breda|1660]] ([[Restoration (England)|Restoration]])<br />[[Acts of Union 1707|1707]] ([[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]])
|jj=[[File:St Patrick's saltire.svg|border|50px]]<br />[[Saint Patrick's Flag|St Patrick's Cross]]<br />(Historical)<br />17th c. ([[Kingdom of Ireland|Ireland]])
}}
{{tree chart| | | |!| | | | | | |!}}
{{tree chart| | | hh  | | | | | kk
|hh=[[File:Flag of the Commonwealth (1658-1660).svg|border|50px]]<br />[[Flags of the Interregnum (British Isles)|Flag of the<br />Commonwealth]] and<br />[[Protectorate Jack]]<br />1658 ([[The Protectorate|Commonwealth<br />of England]])
|kk=[[File:Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg|border|50px]]<br />[[Union Flag#Since 1801|Union Flag of 1801]]<br />[[Act of Union 1800|1801]] ([[United Kingdom]])
}}
{{tree chart/end}}

===Union Flag in folk art===
<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px">
File:GillrayBritannia.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 [[James Gillray|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
File:Fall_back_with_the_Eureka_Jack.jpg|''Fall back with the [[Eureka Jack Mystery|Eureka Jack]]'' by Carlos Barrios, 2014.
</gallery>

==See also==
{{portal|United Kingdom|Heraldry and vexillology}}
* [[List of United Kingdom flags]]
** [[List of English flags]]
*** [[List of Cornish flags]]
** [[List of Northern Irish flags]]
** [[List of Scottish flags]]
** [[List of Welsh flags]]
* [[List of flags of Ireland]]
* [[Northern Ireland flags issue]]
* [[National colours of the United Kingdom]]
* [[Flags of the English Interregnum]]
* [[Star of India (flag)]]
* [[Union Jack Club]]
* [[Union mark of Norway and Sweden]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Groom |first=Nick |title=The Union Jack: The Story of the British Flag |year=2007 |publisher=Atlantic Books |isbn=978-1-84354-337-4}}
*{{cite book|title=Flag and Nation: Australians and their national flags since 1901|last=Kwan|first=Elizabeth|year=2006|publisher=University of New South Wales Press|isbn=978-1-74224-687-1}}
* {{cite book |first=Davis |last=Lister |title=Union Jack or Union Flag? |publisher=[[Flag Institute]] |year=2014 |place=London |url=http://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Union-Jack-or-Union-Flag.pdf }}

==External links==
{{Commons category|National flag of the United Kingdom}}
{{External media
|float  = right
|width  = 300px
|image1 = [https://web.archive.org/web/20100218213752/http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2609/3998116284_e733eba016_b.jpg The Cross of Saint Andrew]. 26 September 2009. By [https://www.flickr.com/photos/cthonus/ cthonus] Accessed 2009-12-30.
|image2 = [https://web.archive.org/web/20100218213754/http://farm1.static.flickr.com/52/169159047_949c211b8b_b.jpg The Cross of Saint George]. 11 June 2006. By [https://www.flickr.com/photos/83031170@N00/ Two Thumbs]. Accessed 2009-12-30.
|image3 = [https://web.archive.org/web/20100218213747/http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3401/3589637303_d28495046d_b.jpg Scottish Union Flag.] 2 June 2009. By [https://www.flickr.com/photos/30178831@N02/ boongiepam]. Accessed 2009-12-16.
|image4 = {{cite web |url=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/2394005982_55390ea0d1_b.jpg |title=English/British Union Flag |date=29 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100218213753/http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/2394005982_55390ea0d1_b.jpg |archive-date=18 February 2010}} By [https://www.flickr.com/photos/nicbutler/ dr.nic]{{dead link|date=July 2013}}. Accessed 2009-12-31.
|image5 = [http://farm1.static.flickr.com/166/424511908_2b2dd02dcd_b.jpg The Cross of Saint Patrick]. 17 March 2007. By [https://www.flickr.com/photos/tim_ellis/ tim ellis]. Accessed 2009-12-30.
|image6 = [http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3426/3722605567_867033b96c_b.jpg United Kingdom Union Flag.] 15 July 2009. By [https://www.flickr.com/photos/mortuaryman/ leegibb13]. Accessed 2009-12-16.
}}

* {{FOTW|id=gb|title=United Kingdom}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160509100704/https://www.royal.uk/union-jack Union Jack] at the Royal Family website
* [https://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/resources/union-flag-approved-designs Union Flag: approved designs] at the College of Arms website
* [https://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/resources/union-flag-faqs Union Flag protocol] at the College of Arms website 
* British flags during [[The Protectorate]] and the [[Commonwealth of England]] – see [http://flagspot.net/flags/gb-inter.html external link]
* [https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4895076.stm BBC page for 400th anniversary of flag]
* [http://www.jdawiseman.com/papers/union-jack/union-jack.html How to draw the Union Jack]
* [https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/british-flags-2/flying-flags-in-the-united-kingdom/british-flag-protocol/#index29 UK Flag Protocol]

{{Flags of Europe}}

{{UKFlags}}
{{Union Flag|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:National flags|United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Flags of the United Kingdom| ]]
[[Category:Flags of Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Flags with blue, red and white]]
[[Category:Flags with crosses]]
[[Category:Unionism in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Jacks (flags)]]
[[Category:1801 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1801]]
[[Category:British Empire]]
[[Category:Rotationally symmetrical flags]]