List of United Kingdom flags

This article is about flags of the United Kingdom in active use. For historical flags, see Historical flags of the British Empire and the overseas territories.

Union Flag & national flag of the United Kingdom
County flags flying in Parliament Square, London

This list includes flags that either have been in use or are currently used by the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies.

The College of Arms is the authority on the flying of flags in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and maintains the only official register of flags for these countries.[1] It was established in 1484 and as part of the Royal Household operates under the authority of the Crown.[1] The Lord Lyon King of Arms, established prior to 1399, holds a similar role within Scotland.[2] A separate private body called the Flag Institute, an educational charity financed by its own membership, also maintains a registry of United Kingdom flags that it styles 'the UK Flag Registry', though this has no official status under UK law.[3]

  1. ^ a b "About Us". College of Arms. Retrieved 22 December 2012. The College is also the authority for matters relating to the flying of flags, and holds the only official registers of flags for the UK and much of the Commonwealth.
  2. ^ "Scottish Heraldic Flags". The Court of the Lord Lyon. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  3. ^ "UK Flag Registry". Flag Institute. Retrieved 22 December 2012.