Although almost universally called a standard, such flags when used in the United Kingdom are banners of arms, as they comprise the shield of the Royal Arms. From the 1960s until her death in 2022, Queen Elizabeth II had several personal flags designed for her use as sovereign of certain Commonwealth realms. These heraldic flags are similar to those of the British "Royal Standard" in being banners of the nation's arms but feature a device found in the Queen's general personal flag (a blue disc containing a wreath of gold roses encircling a crowned letter 'E').
The Royal Standard of the United Kingdom is flown when the Monarch is in residence in one of the royal palaces and on his car, ship, or aeroplane. It may be flown on any building, official or private, during a visit by the Monarch, if the owner or proprietor so requests. It famously replaces the Union Flag over the Palace of Westminster when the Monarch visits during the State Opening of Parliament. The Royal Standard was flown aboard the royal yacht when it was in service, and Queen Elizabeth II was on board. The only church that may fly a Royal Standard, even without the presence of the Sovereign, is Westminster Abbey, a Royal Peculiar.[2]
When Queen Elizabeth II visited the United States in 1991, she was provided with a Cadillac limousine that flew both her standard and the Stars and Stripes, an acknowledgement of the "special relationship" that exists between the two nations.[3][4][5]
The modern Royal Standard of the United Kingdom, apart from minor changes (notably to the form of harp used to represent Ireland), dates to the reign of Queen Victoria. Earlier Royal Standards of the United Kingdom incorporated the Arms of Hanover and of the Kingdom of France, representing the title of Elector (later King) of Hanover and the theoretical claim to the throne of France, a claim dropped in 1800). The Hanoverian association terminated in 1837 with the accession of Queen Victoria who, being a female, could not accede to Hanover.
Famous Royal Standards of former British Monarchs include the Scotland Impaled Royal Standard of Queen Anne, the Hanover Quartered Royal Standards of King George I to George III, and the Hanover crowned Royal Standards of George III to William IV. The latter contained the Royal coat of arms of Hanover superimposed over what became the modern Royal Standard of the United Kingdom, although this particular standard's artistic representations of the banners of England, Ireland and Scotland in their respective quadrants was marginally different from the versions used today.
Scotland
Royal Standard for Scotland flying above the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
In Scotland a separate version of the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom is used, whereby the red Lion Rampant of the Kingdom of Scotland appears in the first and fourth quadrants, displacing the three gold lions passant guardant of England, which occur only in the second quadrant. The third quadrant, displaying the gold harp of Ireland, remains unaltered from that version used throughout the remainder of the United Kingdom and overseas.
Other members of the Royal Family also use this Scottish version when in Scotland, with the only exceptions to this protocol being the consort of a queen regnant and the heir apparent, the Duke of Rothesay, each of whom has his own individual standard.
The Royal Standard of the United Kingdom used in Scotland differs from the current, traditional Royal Standard of Scotland in that the latter portrays the Lion Rampant in its entirety. As the banner of the Royal Coat of Arms of Scotland, the Royal Standard of Scotland remains a personal banner of the monarch [14] and, despite being commonly used as an unofficial second flag of Scotland, its use is restricted under an act passed in 1672 by the Parliament of Scotland.[15]
The historic Royal Standard of Scotland is used officially at Scottish royal residences, when the monarch is not in residence, and by representatives of the Crown, including the First Minister, Lord Lieutenants in their lieutenancies, the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and Lord Lyon King of Arms. A variation of the Royal Standard of Scotland is used by the heir apparent to the King of Scots, the Duke of Rothesay, whose personal Royal Standard is the Royal Standard of Scotland defaced with an azure-coloured label of three points. (The banner of the Duke of Rothesay also features the same, displayed upon an inner shield).
Heir to the Throne
The direct heir to the Throne has several distinct standards and banners for use throughout the United Kingdom in representation of this position. William, Prince of Wales has five standards at use for his various roles and titles.
The Royal Standard of the United Kingdom, defaced with a three-point label. Superimposed is the arms of Llywelyn the Great – 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 – crowned with the prince's coronet.
Used in England and Northern Ireland, this standard was created in 1917.
Quartered, the first and fourth a gold field defaced by a white and blue checkerboard band, the second and third a ship on a white background. Superimposed is the coat of arms of the heir apparent to the King of Scots.
Used in Scotland, this standard was created in 1974 at the suggestion of Prince Charles.
The Royal Standard of the United Kingdom, defaced with a three-point label. Superimposed is the coat of arms of the Royal House of Saxony. This standard was designated for the Prince of Wales from 1859 to 1917, at which time King George V renamed the Royal Family from the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the House of Windsor and renounced all German titles and claims in an act of British patriotism related to the ongoing First World War.
Other members of the Royal Family
Other members of the Royal Family have personal standards of their own. These are variants of the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom (including that which is used in Scotland), defaced with 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 royal blood (i.e., 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, listed according to the line of succession:
A five-point label, the first, third and fifth points charged with the Cross of St. George, the second and fourth points charged with a lion passant guardant
A five-point label, the first and fifth points charged with a red heart, the second and fourth points charged with a blue anchor, the third point charged with the Cross of St. George
Scottish Variant
Consorts of the British monarch
Queens consort of the British monarch are granted arms based on the Royal Standard and their own personal arms from before their marriage, or the arms of their family. 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 British Royal Standard. They use standards based on their own family arms. However, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha used a standard of the royal arms (with a label for difference) quartered with his own family arms.
The Standard is based on his Greek and Danish roots. The flag is divided into four quarters:
The first quarter, representing Denmark, consists of three blue lions passant and nine red hearts on a yellow field. The second quarter, representing Greece, consists of a white cross on a blue field. The third quarter, representing the duke's surname, Mountbatten, contains five black and white vertical stripes. The fourth quarter, which alludes to his title as Duke of Edinburgh, includes a black and red castle, which is also part of the city of Edinburgh's arms.
A three-point label, signifying a direct heir to the Throne, the second point charged with a red escallop taken from the arms of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
A three-point label, the first and third points charged with fleurs-de-lis, the second point charged with the Cross of St. George. Superimposed is the coat of arms of the Royal House of Saxony.
Scottish variant
A three-point label, the first and third points charged with fleurs-de-lis, the second point charged with the Cross of St. George.
A five-point label, the first, third and fifth points charged with the Cross of St. George, the second and fourth points charged with fleurs-de-lis. Superimposed is the coat of arms of the Royal House of Saxony.
Scottish variant
A five-point label, the first, third and fifth points charged with the Cross of St. George, the second and fourth points charged with fleurs-de-lis.
Gules three lions passant guardant in pale Or armed and langued Azure,[17][18] meaning three gold lions with blue tongues and claws, walking and facing the observer, arranged in a column on a red background. It forms the first and fourth quarters of the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom.
A banner of the Royal Coat of Arms of James I, first and fourth quarters representing England and the English claim to the French throne, second quarter representing Scotland, third quarter representing Ireland. This was the last royal banner of the Kingdom of England.
A banner of the joint Royal Coat of Arms of William III and Mary II, consisting of the Coat of Arms of England defaced with an inescutcheon for the House of Nassau (representing William) and impaled with another undefaced version of the same Coat of Arms (representing Mary).
1694–1702
Royal Standard of King William III and II
A banner of the Royal Coat of Arms of William III, first and fourth quarters representing England and the English claim to the French throne, second quarter representing Scotland, third quarter representing Ireland, with an inescutcheon for the House of Nassau.
A banner of the Royal Coat of Arms of Queen Anne, first and fourth quarters representing (newly unified) England and Scotland, second quarter representing the British claim to the French throne, third quarter representing Ireland.
A banner of the Royal Coat of Arms of Great Britain, first quarter representing England and Scotland, second quarter representing the British claim to the French throne, third quarter representing Ireland, fourth quarter representing the Electorate of Hanover.
1801–1816
Royal Standard of the House of Hanover, used by King George III
A banner of the Royal Arms from the creation of the United Kingdom on 1 January 1801; first and fourth quarters for England and Wales, second Scotland, third Ireland, with an inescutcheon for the Electorate of Hanover.
1816–1837
Royal Standard of the House of Hanover, first used by King George III
The Royal Arms after Hanover had become a kingdom.
Others
Royal Standard for other members of the Royal Family who do not have a personal standard.Royal Standard for other members of the Royal Family who do not have a personal standard, Scottish variant.Funeral carriage of Diana, Princess of Wales, with the coffin draped with an ermine-bordered standard.[19]
Other members of the Royal Family may use the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom, but within an ermine border (a white border with black "tails" 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 , Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, had this standard draped over their coffins at their funerals.[20][21]
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, also enjoyed the right to use this version of the Royal Standard although she rarely exercised it on her own. She received a grant of arms on 17 July 2005, which, based on past practice, could form the basis for her own standard.[22] Since her husband ascended to the throne she has used a different version, pictured above.
The Royal Standard is reserved only for the monarch, and is the most used. Most famously it signals the presence of the monarch at a royal residence, and is also used on official vehicles, primarily the Bentley State Limousine, but also on other road vehicles at home or abroad, often a Range Rover. The Royal Standard is also flown from aircraft and water vessels, including HMY Britannia and MV Spirit of Chartwell[23] during the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant. When the monarch is aboard a British naval ship, the flag is flown from the main mast of the ship and is lowered upon his/her departure.[24] The flag is also draped over the coffin of the Monarch upon his/her death.
When Edward VII acceded to the throne in 1901, he proposed that a special version of the Royal Standard (which was widely used at the time) be created for his own specific use; "a Royal Standard differenced with an oval shield in the centre carrying HM's cypher and crown on a purple ground, for the King's exclusive and personal use alone... The cypher to be changed to that of the new sovereign on the demise of the previous sovereign." However, such a proposal was considered impractical, given that the use of this alternate Standard by the King would effectively make it the new Royal Standard (despite the retention of the main version), and thus such a change would have required legislation. It was instead decided that new rules for the Royal Standard be laid down, making it so that it should not be flown anywhere other than on a royal palace, or to denote the monarch's presence.[25]
Family members also do not use their standards on road vehicles, either privately or during official engagements (when more discreet cars are used, such as Jaguar) or state occasions (when the Liveried cars of the Royal Mews are used), this seems reserved for the Queen only, although when Prince Philip traveled alone at state occasions, his standard flew from the roof of his car, as seen with the funerals of Diana, Princess of Wales (when the Queen Mother also flew her personal standard from her car) and that of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, also, when a visiting Head of State on a state visit uses a car from the Royal Mews, his/her own flag is displayed.[30][31] That said, when abroad, the standards of members of the family may well be flown: examples include Prince Charles,[32][33] the Duchess of Cornwall[34] and Prince William.[35][36]
According to the Flag Institute, the order of precedence of flags in the United Kingdom is: the Royal Standard, Union Flag , the flag of the host country (England, Scotland and Wales etc.), the flags of other nations (in alphabetical order), the Commonwealth Flag, the Flag of Europe, the county flags, the flags of cities or towns, the banners of arms, and the house flags.[39]
^"91: Standards, Flags and Colours". The Queen's Regulations for the Royal Navy(PDF) (3 ed.). UK Ministry of Defence. April 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2020. The Royal Standard, being the personal flag of the Sovereign, is to be hoisted on board HM ships and on official buildings and enclosures only when The Sovereign is present. It is to be hauled down at the moment of departure.
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