Union Jack

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Use	National flag
Proportion	1:2
Adopted	1606 (origin); 1707 (first version officially adopted); 1 January 1801 (current version with St Patrick's Saltire adopted);
Design	Blue field on which the Cross of Saint Andrew counterchanged with the Cross of Saint Patrick, over all the Cross of Saint George fimbriated.
Alternative 3:5 ratio
Proportion	3:5

The Union Jack^[1]^[2] or Union Flag is the national flag of the United Kingdom.

The flag consists of the red cross of Saint George (the patron saint of England), edged in white, superimposed on the red saltire of Saint Patrick (the patron saint of Ireland), also edged in white, superimposed on the 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 Scotland and England.^[3] The present design was established by an Order in Council following the Act of Union 1801, 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.^[4]^[5]^[6]^[a]

The flags of British Overseas Territories, as well as certain sovereign states and regions 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 these flags are blue or red ensigns with the Union Jack in the canton and 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.

^ "The Union Jack or The Union Flag?". The Flag Institute. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
^ "Union Jack". The British Monarchy. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
^ 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 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"|James VI and I|Orders in Council; Official creation of the Union Flag – 1606."
^ Nicolls, Bruce. "The Union Jack or The Union Flag?". The Flag Institute. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
^ "Broadcasting House 13th October 2013". BBC. 13 October 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
^ Marshall, Tim (2017). A flag worth dying for: the power and politics of national symbols. New York, NY: Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc. ISBN 978-1-5011-6833-8. OCLC 962006347.
^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "UNION JACK – discussion on BBC Broadcasting House". YouTube. 19 October 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2015.

Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).

[1] "The Union Jack or The Union Flag?". The Flag Institute. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2015.

[2] "Union Jack". The British Monarchy. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.

[3] 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 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"|James VI and I|Orders in Council; Official creation of the Union Flag – 1606."

[4] Nicolls, Bruce. "The Union Jack or The Union Flag?". The Flag Institute. Retrieved 19 December 2014.

[5] "Broadcasting House 13th October 2013". BBC. 13 October 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.

[Marshall_2017_p.110-111-6] Marshall, Tim (2017). A flag worth dying for: the power and politics of national symbols. New York, NY: Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc. ISBN 978-1-5011-6833-8. OCLC 962006347.

[7] Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "UNION JACK – discussion on BBC Broadcasting House". YouTube. 19 October 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2015.

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