- For other monarchs' standards, see Royal Standard (disambiguation).
Several countries use the term Royal Standard to describe the flag used by the
monarch and members of the
Although almost universally called a standard, the flags used in the United Kingdom are banners of arms, as they comprise the shield of the Royal Arms. Outside the United Kingdom the flags are usually the national banner with a blue disc containing a wreath of gold roses encircling the crowned letter 'E' (for 'Elizabeth') superimposed upon it.
The Royal Standard is flown when the Queen is in residence in one of the Royal residences, on the Queen's car on official journeys and on aircraft (when on the ground). It may also be flown on any building, official or private (but not ecclesiastical buildings), during a visit by the Queen, if the owner or proprietor so requests. The Royal Standard also used to be flown on board the Royal Yacht, when it was in service and the Queen was on board.
The Royal Standard is only flown at Royal residences when the Sovereign is present. If the Union Flag is flying above Buckingham Palace instead of the Royal Standard, the Queen is not in residence. If the ancient Royal Standard of the King of Scots is flying above Holyrood Palace or Balmoral Castle, instead of the Royal Standard used in Scotland, this also signals that the Queen is not in residence.
When the Queen attends the UK Parliament at the Palace of Westminster, the Royal Standard flies from Victoria Tower.
Unlike the Union Flag, the Royal Standard is usually never flown at half mast, even after the death of a monarch, as there is always a sovereign on the throne. When controversy arose regarding the lack of a flag at half-mast at Buckingham Palace following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, a compromise was reached whereby the Union Flag was flown at half-mast. (The Queen was then in Scotland; previously, no flag was flown over Buckingham Palace when the Queen was not present. Since then, the Union Flag has been flown in the Queen's absence.)
United Kingdom
In England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and outside the United Kingdom, the flag is split into four quadrants. The first and fourth quadrants represent the ancient Kingdom of England and contain three gold lions, (or leopards), passant on a red field; the second quadrant represents the ancient Kingdom of Scotland and contains a red lion rampant on a gold field; the third quadrant represents the ancient Kingdom of Ireland and contains a version of the gold harp from the Coat of arms of Ireland on a blue field.
In Scotland a separate flag is used whereby the Lion Rampant appears in the first and fourth quadrants, displacing the lions passant which occur only in the second quadrant.
The modern Royal Standard, apart from minor changes (notably to the form of harp used to represent Ireland), dates back to the reign of Queen Victoria. Earlier Royal Standards incorporated the Arms of Hanover and France, representing the monarch's position as Elector (later King) of Hanover and the theoretical claim made to the French throne. The most famous standards include the Scotland Impaled Royal Standard of Queen Anne, Hanover Quartered of Kings George I to George III, and Hanover crowned of George III to William IV. The latter contained the Royal Coat of Arms of Hanover superimposed over what is the modern Royal Standard (though the standard's visual representation of England, Ireland and Scotland in their quadrants was marginally different).
There are many pubs in the United Kingdom named after the Royal Standard. There is however, only one pub that is called "The Royal Standard of England" near Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. This pub is also the oldest "free house" pub in England.
Other members of the Royal Family
Variants of the Royal Standard are used for other members of the British Royal Family.
Prince of Wales
His Royal Highness the Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, has four separate standards in the United Kingdom: one for use in England and Northern Ireland, one for use in Scotland, one for use in Wales and one for use in Cornwall.
- England & Northern Ireland
- The Royal Standard of the United Kingdom is used, with a white label of three points. In the centre of the flag, the crowned Arms of the Principality of Wales — 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 — is superimposed. This is the standard that is used outside the United Kingdom by the Prince.
- Wales
- The flag is a banner of the Coat of Arms of the Principality of Wales and is divided into 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. Superimposed is a green shield bearing a crown.
- Scotland
- The flag is based on two Scottish titles of the heir apparent: Duke of Rothesay and Lord of the Isles. The flag is divided into four quadrants. The first and fourth quadrants include a blue and white checkerboard band in the centre of a gold field. The second and third quadrants include a ship on a white background. A gold shield bearing the lion rampant of Scotland is superimposed.
- Cornwall
- The flag is "sable fifteen bezants Or", that is, a black field bearing fifteen gold coins, which Prince Charles uses in his capacity as Duke of Cornwall.
Princes and Princesses of the Blood Royal
Other members of the Royal Family have personal standards of their own. These are variants of the Royal Standard, (including that which is used in Scotland), with the bearing of a white label and either three points or pendants (for children of a sovereign), or five points (grandchildren of a sovereign). Traditionally all Princes and Princesses of the Blood Royal (ie descendants of the Sovereign) are granted arms on their 18th birthday, thus giving them a banner to fly from their residences.
The following members of the Royal Family have personal standards
- HRH The Duke of York: the middle point bears a blue anchor, while the first and last points are blank.
- HRH The Earl of Wessex: the middle point bears a red rose, while the first and last points are blank.
- HRH The Princess Royal: the first and last point each bear a red cross. The middle point bears a red heart.
- HRH Prince William of Wales: unlike other grandchildren of the Sovereign, Prince William uses a label with three points. The middle point bears a red shell, while the first and last points are blank.
- HRH Prince Harry of Wales: the first, middle, and last points each bear a red shell, while the second and fourth points are blank.
- HRH The Duke of Gloucester: white label with five points, three with St George's Cross, two with red Lion passant guardant.
- HRH The Duke of Kent: white label with five points, three with blue Anchor, two with St George's Cross.
- HRH Prince Michael of Kent: white label with five points, three with St George's Cross, two with blue Anchor.
- HRH Princess Alexandra: white label with five points, two with hearts, two with anchors, one with St George's Cross.
Consorts of the British monarch
Queens consort of the British monarch are granted arms based on the Royal Standard and the arms of their father. Thus their standard consists of the Royal Standard impaled with their paternal arms. The example of the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother shows the Royal Standard impaled with the arms of her paternal family, the Earl of Strathmore. Queen Mary's standard was the Royal Standard impaled with the arms of her father, Francis, Duke of Teck and the Hanoverian Coat of Arms as used by her grandfather, the Duke of Cambridge. Queen Alexandra's standard was the Royal Standard impaled with the Royal Arms of Denmark. In Scotland, a Queen consort will use the Scottish version of the Royal Standard. They do not have different standards for the Commonwealth realms that have their own Royal Standards.
Consorts of a Queen regnant are not granted use of the Royal Standard. They will use Standards based on their own family arms. HRH The Duke of Edinburgh has his a standard based on his Greek and Danish roots. The flag is divided into four quadrants. The first quadrant, representing Denmark, consists of three blue lions passant and nine red hearts on a yellow field. The second quadrant, representing Greece, consists of a white cross on a blue field. The third quadrant, representing the Duke's surname, Mountbatten, contains five black and white vertical stripes. The fourth quadrant, alludes to his title as Duke of Edinburgh, and includes a black and red castle which is also part of the city of Edinburgh's arms.
Other members of the Royal Family
Other members of the Royal Family may use the Royal Standard of England, but within an ermine border, i.e. a white border with black spots representing the ermine fur. This standard is mainly used for the wives of British princes, or members of the Royal Family who have not yet been granted their own arms. Diana, Princess of Wales and more recently, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester had this standard draped over their coffins at their funerals.
See also
- List of British flags
- Union Flag
- Commonwealth Jack
- Protectorate Jack
- Queen's Personal Australian Flag
- Queen's Personal Barbadian Flag
- Queen's Personal Canadian Flag
- Queen's Personal Jamaican Flag
- Queen's Personal New Zealand Flag
Additional reading
- Norman Davies, The Isles: A History (Palgrave Macmillan, 1999)
| Royal Standards of Queen Elizabeth II |
|---|
|
|
| Flags of the United Kingdom | |
|---|---|
| UK | 
Flag of the United Kingdom (Union
Flag) |
| Home Nations |  England •  Wales •  Scotland |
| Historical |  Northern Ireland (1953-1972) |
| Royal | 
Royal Standard •  Royal
Standard for use in Scotland •  Royal Standard of Scotland |
| Ensigns |  Blue Ensign •  Red Ensign •  White Ensign •  Royal Air Force Ensign •
 Civil Air
Ensign |
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