The flag of the United Kingdom is really called the Union Flag, but it is commonally referred to as the Union Jack. A ‘jack’ is actually a flag flown on the bow of a ship. It is made up of the individual flags of the countries of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, all united under one Sovereign. Wales was not a Kingdom but a Principality so it could not be included on the flag.
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 this time England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland were separate countries. However in 1536, under Henry VIII, an Act of Union was passed making Wales a province of England.
Scotland is represented by the flag of St. Andrew, a diagonal white cross form (called a saltire) on a blue background. After Queen Elizabeth I of England died withot any direct heirs in 1603, King James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne and became King James I of England. In 1604, against Parliaments’ wishes, he declared himself ‘King of Great Britain’, although each country still kept their own parliament.
On 12 April 1606, the National Flags of Scotland and England were united for use at sea, thus making the first Union ‘Jack’. Ashore however, the old flags of England and Scotland continued to be used by their respective countries. The Act of Union of 1707, joined England and Scotland together, creating a single kingdom with a single Parliament called ‘United Kingdom of Great Britain’ .
Almost hundred years later, on 1 January 1801, Ireland was united with Great Britain and it became necessary to have a new National Flag in which Ireland was represented. The cross of St Patrick, a diagonal red cross on a white background, was combined with the Union Flag of St George and St Andrew, to create the Union Flag that has been flown ever since. England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland were now all joined together and called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The name was later changed to United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland when the greater part of Ireland left the United Kingdom in 1921.
The Union Flag is not symmetrical however. Due to the complex rules of heraldry, the red bands of St Patrick are not symmetrically placed within the white bands of St Andrew. Very few people in Britain now know which way up to fly the flag!
