The story of the United Kingdom and the Union Flag.

A flag containing three other flags

The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom. It is the British flag.

It is called the Union Flag because it stands for the union of the countries of the United Kingdom under one King or Queen. It is made up of the individual Flags of three of the Kingdom’s countries – the countries of ‘England, of ‘Scotland’ and of ‘Northern Ireland’. As Wales was not a Kingdom but a Principality it could not be included on the flag.

St George – England

In 1194 A.D., Richard I of England introduced the Cross of St. George, a red cross on a white ground, as the National Flag of England. At that time, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland were separate countries.

The National Flag of England

In 1536, under Henry VIII, an Act of Union was passed making Wales, in effect a province of England.

St Andrew – Scotland

The National Flag of Scotland

After Queen Elizabeth I of England died in 1603, King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England. It was a Union of the Crowns, but not of the nations. Each country still kept its own parliament. James wanted England and Scotland to be a united kingdom of ‘Great Britain’. But which flag should be used?