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Royal Standard Of The United Kingdom

Ah, flags. Symbols. Little pieces of cloth meant to represent… well, a lot of things, I suppose. Power, history, a claim. It’s all rather theatrical, isn’t it? You want to know about the flags used by the British monarchy. Fine. Don’t expect me to get sentimental about it.

Royal Standard of the United Kingdom

Right, the main event. The Royal Standard of the United Kingdom. It’s essentially the banner of arms of the current monarch, which, as of my last update, is Charles III. Think of it as a flag version of his personal heraldic display. It’s a rather busy affair, divided into four quarters, each representing a former kingdom that, in theory, still has some bearing on the crown. You’ve got England, Ireland, and Scotland. A rather neat little summary of history, if you ask me, all neatly tucked into a flag.

Now, they’re not all identical. There are two main versions. One is used in Scotland, where the Scottish quarters get to swagger in first. The other, for everywhere else – England, Northern Ireland, Wales, the Crown dependencies, and the British Overseas Territories – gives the English quarters the lead. It’s a subtle nod to regional pride, I suppose, though I suspect it matters more to some than others.

Since the 1960s, things have gotten a bit more… personalized. They started introducing personal flags for the monarch when they’re acting as sovereign of other Commonwealth realms. More flags. Because one wasn’t enough.

The primary purpose of this banner? To announce the monarch’s presence. If they’re at a residence, in a car, on a ship, or even in a plane, up goes the Standard. It’s a rather unsubtle way of saying, "I am here. Pay attention."

And it never, ever flies at half-mast. The reasoning? The monarchy is a continuous entity. There’s always a sovereign. "The King is dead. Long live the King!" and all that. It’s a statement about permanence, I suppose. Or perhaps just an insistence on maintaining appearances.

Technically, it’s a banner of arms, not a standard. Standards, in proper heraldic terms, are usually tapering flags, more for displaying badges and mottos. This is a flag of a coat of arms. Details. But people call it a standard, and here we are.

There’s a whole list of UK flags, of course, covering everything from English flags to Scottish flags, Welsh flags, and even those for Cornish flags. And then there are the Royal Standards themselves, and all the flags for cities and towns. A veritable tapestry of vexillology.

United Kingdom (outside Scotland), the Crown dependencies, and the British Overseas Territories

Let’s break down the one you’ll see most often outside of Scotland. It’s a four-part affair.

  • First and fourth quarters: These belong to the ancient Kingdom of England. You’ll see three gold lions – or "leopards", if you want to be pedantic – walking forward and facing the viewer (passant guardant), all on a red field. Classic.
  • Second quarter: This is for the ancient Kingdom of Scotland. A red lion, standing on its hind legs (rampant), on a gold field. Fierce.
  • Third quarter: This represents the ancient Kingdom of Ireland. It’s a gold harp on a blue field. The inclusion of this harp, by the way, has been a point of contention for some. Back in 1937, Éamon de Valera, the Taoiseach at the time, apparently asked Malcolm MacDonald if they could just… remove it. The Irish people, he argued, hadn't consented to its inclusion. The request was denied. The harp remains, a stubborn little symbol.

You might have seen the Royal Standard adorning Queen Elizabeth II's car when she visited Bermuda back in 1953. It’s a symbol that travels.

The current design, with minor tweaks to the harp, dates back to Queen Victoria. Before that, the standards were a bit more… international. They used to include the Arms of Hanover and the Kingdom of France. This was to represent the monarch's titles as Elector (later King) of Hanover and their theoretical claim to the throne of France. That claim, thankfully, was dropped in 1800 with the Act of Union 1800. The Hanoverian connection ended entirely in 1837 when Queen Victoria ascended. Being female, she couldn’t inherit the Hanoverian throne due to Salic law.

There are historical standards, too, that are quite interesting. The Scotland Impaled Royal Standard of Queen Anne, for instance. Then there were the Hanover Quartered Royal Standards used by Kings George I through George III. And the crowned Hanover standards for George III all the way to William IV. These older ones had the Royal coat of arms of Hanover sitting on top of what became the modern standard. The depictions of England, Ireland, and Scotland were slightly different, too.

Scotland

Now, for Scotland. Since 1998, with the Scottish devolution legislation, there’s a distinct version of the Royal Standard used there. The red Lion Rampant of Scotland takes pride of place, appearing in the first and fourth quarters. The English lions (passant guardant) are relegated to the second quarter. The Irish harp, in the third, remains untouched. Before this, the same standard was used across the entire UK.

You would have seen the Scottish version of the Royal Standard used quite prominently when Queen Elizabeth II's coffin was transported from Balmoral to Edinburgh in September 2022. It covered her coffin during the journey, the procession on the Royal Mile, and while she lay at rest at St. Giles' Cathedral, surmounted by the Crown of Scotland. When the coffin was flown to London, the Scottish Standard was replaced by the one used elsewhere.

Other members of the royal family also use this Scottish version when they are in Scotland, with the exception of the Duke of Rothesay, who, as heir apparent, has his own specific standard and banner.

It’s important to distinguish this from the actual Royal Standard of Scotland. That one displays the Lion Rampant in its entirety and is the banner of the Royal Coat of Arms of Scotland. It’s technically a personal banner of the monarch. Despite its common unofficial use as a second flag for Scotland, its use is actually restricted by an act from 1672 by the Parliament of Scotland.

The heir apparent to the King of Scots, who holds the title Duke of Rothesay, uses a variant of the Royal Standard of Scotland. It's defaced with a blue (azure) label of three points. His banner also features this on an inner shield.

The historic Royal Standard of Scotland is officially used at Scottish royal residences when the monarch isn't present, and by representatives of the Crown. This includes the First Minister, Lord Lieutenants in their regions, the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and the Lord Lyon King of Arms.

Heir to the Throne

The direct heir to the Throne has a rather intricate set of standards and banners for use throughout the UK. William, Prince of Wales, for instance, has five different standards for his various roles and titles.

  • Prince of Wales:
    • In England and Northern Ireland: This standard, created in 1917, is the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom, but it’s defaced with a three-point label. On top of that, it has the arms of Llywelyn the Great. This consists of four quadrants: the first and fourth with a red lion on a gold field, and the second and third with a gold lion on a red field. It’s all crowned with the prince’s coronet.
    • In Wales: This standard, created in 1962 at the suggestion of Prince Philip, features the arms of Llywelyn the Great. A green shield bearing the Prince's coronet is superimposed.
  • Prince and Great Steward of Scotland, Lord of the Isles:
    • In Scotland: This standard, created in 1974 at the suggestion of then Prince Charles, is quartered. The first and fourth quarters have a gold field with a white and blue checkerboard band. The second and third quarters show a ship on a white background. It’s all topped with the coat of arms of the heir apparent to the King of Scots.
  • Duke of Rothesay:
  • Duke of Cornwall:
    • In Cornwall: This standard is described as "sable fifteen bezants Or". That means a black field with fifteen gold coins. It's the ancient banner of the Duke of Cornwall.

There’s also a historic standard for the Prince of Wales. From 1859 to 1917, it was the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom, defaced with a three-point label, and superimposed with the coat of arms of the Royal House of Saxony. This changed when King George V renamed the royal family from the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the House of Windsor and renounced German titles during World War I.

Other members of the royal family

Other members of the royal family have their own personal standards. These are essentially variations of the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom (including the Scottish version), but they’re defaced with a white label. If they have three points or pendants, it signifies they are a child of the sovereign. Grandchildren get a five-point label. Traditionally, all princes and princesses are granted arms on their 18th birthday, which then forms the basis for their banner.

Here’s a look at some members and their standards, roughly in order of succession:

  • Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex: A three-point label. Each point is charged with a red escallop, taken from the arms of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. There’s also a Scottish variant.
  • Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor: A three-point label, with the second point charged with a blue anchor. And, of course, a Scottish variant.
  • Princess Beatrice: A five-point label. The first, third, and fifth points are charged with a bee. And a Scottish variant.
  • Princess Eugenie: A five-point label. The first, third, and fifth points are charged with a Scottish thistle. And a Scottish variant.
  • Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh: A three-point label, with the second point charged with a Tudor rose. And a Scottish variant.
  • Princess Anne, Princess Royal: A three-point label. The first and third points are charged with the Cross of St. George, and the second point with a red heart. And a Scottish variant.
  • Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester: A five-point label. The first, third, and fifth points are charged with the Cross of St. George, and the second and fourth points with a lion passant guardant. And a Scottish variant.
  • Prince Edward, Duke of Kent: A five-point label. The first, third, and fifth points are charged with a blue anchor, and the second and fourth points with the Cross of St. George. And a Scottish variant.
  • Prince Michael of Kent: A five-point label. The first, third, and fifth points are charged with the Cross of St. George, and the second and fourth points with a blue anchor. And a Scottish variant.
  • Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy: A five-point label. The first and fifth points are charged with a red heart, the second and fourth with a blue anchor, and the third point with the Cross of St. George. And a Scottish variant.

Consorts of the British monarch

Queens consort get their own standards, based on the Royal Standard and their pre-marriage arms. In Scotland, they use the Scottish version of the Royal Standard. They don't get different standards for Commonwealth realms that have their own Royal Standards.

Consorts of a queen regnant, however, don't get to use the British Royal Standard. They use standards based on their own family arms. Prince Albert, for example, used a standard that was a mix of the royal arms (with a label for difference) and his own family arms.

Recent historical royal standards

A few more historical examples, just to fill out the picture:

Royal standards of English and British monarchs, 1198–1837

This is where it gets really old. The evolution of the standard reflects the shifting political landscape and claims of the English and British crowns.

  • 1198–1340: The Royal Banner of King Richard I. Simple enough: three gold lions passant guardant on a red background. These are the foundational lions for the English quarter of the modern Royal Standard.
  • 1340–1395, 1399–1406: King Edward III changed things up. He quartered the Coat of Arms of England with the Royal Standard of France. The fleurs-de-lis were a clear statement of his claim to the French throne.
  • 1395–1399: King Richard II used the Arms of England impaled with the attributed Arms of King Edward the Confessor. A bit more mystical, symbolizing a supposed union.
  • 1406–1422, 1461–1470, 1471–1554, 1558–1603: Several monarchs, including Henry IV, Henry V, Edward IV, Richard III, Henry VII, Henry VIII, and Elizabeth I, used a banner where the French quartering was reduced to three fleurs-de-lis.
  • 1422–1461, 1470–1471: King Henry VI used the Coat of Arms of France impaled with the Coat of Arms of England. A reversal of sorts.
  • 1554–1558: During the reign of Queen Mary I and her husband King Philip, the standard featured the Coat of Arms of Habsburg Spain impaled with the Coat of Arms of England.
  • 1603–1689, 1702–1707: This was the era of the House of Stuart, starting with James VI and I. The banner of the Royal Coat of Arms of James I was used. It had England and the French claim in the first and fourth quarters, Scotland in the second, and Ireland in the third. This was the last royal banner of the Kingdom of England before the unification.
  • 1689–1694: The joint Royal Coat of Arms of William III and II and Mary II. A complex arrangement with an inescutcheon for the House of Nassau for William, impaled with an undefaced version for Mary.
  • 1694–1702: King William III and II’s standard featured England and the French claim (quarters one and four), Scotland (quarter two), Ireland (quarter three), with an inescutcheon for the House of Nassau.
  • 1707–1714: Queen Anne used a banner reflecting the Acts of Union 1707. It had the unified England and Scotland in the first and fourth quarters, the French claim in the second, and Ireland in the third.
  • 1714–1801: The era of the House of Hanover, starting with King George I. The banner of Great Britain had England and Scotland (quarter one), the French claim (quarter two), Ireland (quarter three), and the Electorate of Hanover (quarter four).
  • 1801–1816: After the creation of the United Kingdom, King George III used a banner with England and Wales (quarters one and four), Scotland (quarter two), Ireland (quarter three), and an inescutcheon for the Electorate of Hanover.
  • 1816–1837: The final Hanoverian standard, also used by King George III. This reflected Hanover becoming a kingdom, and the ducal hat was replaced with a crown.

Others

There’s a curious detail about other members of the royal family. They can use the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom, but it's usually bordered with ermine. This is typically for the wives of British princes or members who haven't been granted their own arms yet. You might have seen this ermine-bordered standard draped over the coffins of Diana, Princess of Wales, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, and Katharine, Duchess of Kent.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall also had the right to use this standard, though she rarely did so on her own. She received her own grant of arms in 2005, which could have formed the basis for her own standard. Since becoming queen consort, she uses a new standard, based on her husband's Royal Standard, impaled with her father’s arms.

There are visual examples of:

  • The Royal Standard for other members of the Royal Family without a personal standard.
  • The Scottish variant of that standard.
  • The funeral carriage of Diana, Princess of Wales, showing the coffin draped with an ermine-bordered standard.

Uses of standards

The Royal Standard is exclusively for the monarch. It’s most famously flown to signal their presence at a royal residence, like Buckingham Palace. It’s also used on official vehicles, particularly the Bentley State Limousine, but also other cars, whether at home or abroad.

It’s also flown from aircraft and water vessels. During the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, it was flown from HMY Britannia and MV Spirit of Chartwell. On British naval ships, it’s flown from the main mast and lowered upon the Sovereign’s departure. And, of course, it’s draped over the coffin of the Monarch upon their death.

There’s an image of a British Airways Concorde carrying Elizabeth II at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Austin, Texas, with the Royal Standard flying from the cockpit window.

Back in 1901, Edward VII proposed a special version of the Royal Standard just for him, with his cypher and crown on a purple ground. The idea was that it would be changed with each sovereign. However, this was deemed impractical; it would essentially become the new Royal Standard, requiring legislation. Instead, new rules were established, limiting the Royal Standard to only be flown when the monarch was present, or at a royal palace.

There's a proposed personal Royal Standard for Edward VII, showing this concept.

Personal standards are sometimes displayed within the UK, such as in St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh, or St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, alongside the Banners of Knights of the Order of the Garter. During the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, Prince Andrew's standard flew from MV Havengore. The use of personal standards by other royals varies. Before his accession, the then-Prince of Wales flew his standard at Clarence House much like the Royal Standard at Buckingham Palace. However, other royals tend not to fly theirs from their residences, possibly because many share official London Residences, like at Kensington Palace.

Personal standards have also been used to cover the coffins of the Queen Mother, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Margaret, and the Duke of Windsor.

Position of honour

According to the Flag Institute, the established order of precedence for flags in the UK is quite specific. First, the Royal Standard. Then, the Union Flag. After that, the flag of the relevant country, dependency, or Overseas Territory (England, Scotland, Wales, etc.). Then flags of other UK countries, followed by flags of other nations (in alphabetical order), the Commonwealth flag, the flag of Europe, county flags, city and town flags, banners of arms, and finally, house flags. It’s a rigid hierarchy, even for flags.

See also:

References:

  • [1] "Rules for hoisting flags on buildings of the Scottish Government" (PDF). gov.scot. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  • [2] "Royal Standard". The Royal Household. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  • [3] "Media Factsheet: Queen Elizabeth II's State Visit to Ireland". Discover Ireland. 17 May 2011. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
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  • [5] Allison, Ronald; Riddell, Sarah, eds. (1991). "Royal Standard". The Royal Encyclopedia. London: Macmillan Press. p. 480. From time to time the Scots have suggested a Royal Standard with Scottish quarterings for use in Scotland; however it is The Queen's wish that there should be only one Royal Standard to symbolise the unity of the United Kingdom.
  • [6] "Thousands line Edinburgh's streets to see Queen's coffin". BBC News. 12 September 2022.
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Further reading:

External links:

  • Royal Standard – Royal Household website
  • The Royal Standard – Flag Institute

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