ReadChapter 3

A Long and Illustrious History

3.4.11 The Union Flag

Although Ireland had had the same monarch as England and Wales since Henry VIII, it had remained a separate country. In 1801, Ireland became unified with England, Scotland and Wales after the Act of Union of 1800. This created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. One symbol of this union between England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland was a new version of the official flag, the Union Flag. This is often called the Union Jack. The flag combined crosses associated with England, Scotland and Ireland. It is still used today as the official flag of the UK.

The Union Flag consists of three crosses:

The cross of St George, patron saint of England, is a red cross on a white ground. The cross of St Andrew, patron saint of Scotland, is a diagonal white cross on a blue ground. The cross of St Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, is a diagonal red cross on a white ground.

The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, the national flag of the United Kingdom — The Union Flag (Union Jack) is the national flag of the United Kingdom.Original: Acts of Union 1800 Vector: Yaddah / Wikimedia Commons / PD

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St George's Cross, the national flag of England: a red cross on a white background — St George's Cross is the national flag of England.Original: traditional Vector: Nicholas Shanks / Wikimedia Commons / PD

St Andrew's Cross, the national flag of Scotland: a white diagonal cross on a blue background — St Andrew's Cross (the Saltire) is the national flag of Scotland.none known / Wikimedia Commons / PD

St Patrick's Cross, a red diagonal cross on a white background, representing Ireland in the Union Flag — St Patrick's Cross represents Ireland in the Union Flag.Hoshie and others / Wikimedia Commons / PD

The crosses of the three countries which combined to form the Union Flag

There is also an official Welsh flag, which shows a Welsh dragon. The Welsh dragon does not appear on the Union Flag because, when the first Union Flag was created in 1606 from the flags of Scotland and England, the Principality of Wales was already united with England.