Strict rule for flying Union Jack and St George’s Cross at same time
Rules governing the way flags are flown are shared with key organisations across the UK.
Flying flags has become a hot topic this week after a row engulfed a local council which tore down flags of the UK and England over trumped up ‘health and safety’ concerns.
But flag-gate has now led to a resistance of sorts, as patriotic Britons rush out to spray St George’s Cross flags on roundabouts and fly Union Jacks from their houses. The pushback caused a u-turn from Birmingham City Council and a response from Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Though the laws on flying flags are actually very lenient in the UK, there are rules of flag etiquette that many of us probably aren’t aware of, according to vexillologists at the Flag Institute, a national charity devoted to the study of flags and the proper ways to fly them. According to the Flag Institute, though they aren’t laws that carry criminal or civil penalty, there are rules flag bearers and those flying flags are expected to observe, relating usually to the honour and respect the national emblems signify and are intended to extol.
READ MORE: List of 'banned flags' it could be against the law to fly in the UK
READ MORE: Flag expert explains rules for flying a Union Jack on your house
According to the experts, there are rules around how to fly the Union Jack of the UK and the St George’s Flag of England at the same time, as well as other constituent nations of the UK like Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
According to flag rules, there is an ‘order of precedence’ among British flags that must be observed.
It says: “The order of precedence of flags in the UK is: Royal Standards, the Union Flag, the flag of the host country (England, Scotland, Wales, etc.), flags of other nations (in alphabetical order), the Commonwealth Flag, the European Union Flag, county flags, flags of cities or towns, banners of arms, and house flags.”
The order of precedence means, for example, that a Union Jack flag must be flown above the St George’s Cross or the Scottish Saltaire when the two are flown on the same flagpole.
It adds that the ‘senior’ British flag should be raised first and lowered last: “Sometimes it may be desired to display two flags when only one flagpole is available. As long as both flags are British this is possible. The senior flag should fly at the top, with a gap of about 30cm (12”), assuming there is enough vertical space on the pole. For example, the Union Flag can be flown over the flag of England, Scotland or Wales, or over a county, city or house flag. When flags are at half-mast the lower flag must be removed.”
It continues: “The senior British national flag (eg. the Union Flag or the flag of England, Scotland or Wales) should be raised first and lowered last, unless all the flags can be raised and lowered simultaneously. Flags should be raised and lowered in a dignified manner.”
If flown in a circle of flags, the most ‘senior’ in the order of precedence goes in the middle.
It adds: “In a semi-circle of flags representing a number of nations, the senior national flag should be in the centre. The remaining flags should be placed with the next most senior flag (or first in alphabetical order if all the flags are of equal seniority) on the left of the central flag, the next on the right of the central flag, the next on the 2nd left from the central flag, and continuing to alternate left and right.”
This rule also dictates the position of crossed flags: “Whenever crossed with the flag of another nation or organisation, the senior national flag should be on the left of the observer facing the flag. Its staff should be in front of the staff of the other flag.”
