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Flags of Elizabeth II facts for kids

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Royal Cypher of Elizabeth II as Head of the Commonwealth
Many of the flags Queen Elizabeth II utilizes in the countries of which she is as head of state feature the device found in her personal flag, which is somewhat different from her royal cypher.

Queen Elizabeth II has and has had a variety of flags to represent her personally and as head of state of several independent nations around the world. They are usually used on any building, ship, car, or aircraft where she is present.

These heraldic flags are usually a nation's coat of arms in banner form.

Princess Elizabeth

Princess Elizabeth's personal standard prior to her accession as queen was her coat of arms in banner form. This consisted of four quarters consisting of the Lion for England, Unicorn for Scotland, and Harp for Northern Ireland. To differentiate the arms of Princess Elizabeth from that of the king it was differenced with a white label of three points; The centre point bearing a Tudor rose and the first and third a cross of St George.

  • Royal Standard of Princess Elizabeth (1944-1952)

    1944-1952

United Kingdom

Main article: Royal Standard of the United Kingdom

Upon the death of her father, Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II and therefore adopted the Royal Standard. This flag is used to represent the queen not only in the United Kingdom but also overseas when she makes state visits. It is the royal arms in banner form undifferentiated.

  • Royal Standard of the United Kingdom

    Outside Scotland

  • Royal Standard of the United Kingdom (in Scotland)

    Scotland

Personal Flag

Personal flag of Queen Elizabeth II (rectangular)
Queen Elizabeth II personal flag

Queen Elizabeth II's personal flag is used on any building, ship, car, or aircraft in which she is staying or travelling. It is often used to represent Elizabeth in her role as Head of the Commonwealth or as monarch of a Commonwealth realm in which she does not possess a unique flag. This flag was created in 1960 and first used in 1961 for the Queen's visit to India.

The flag bears the crowned letter E in gold, surrounded by a garland of gold roses on a blue background, with a golden fringe. The crown is a symbol of the Queen's rank and dignity, whilst the roses symbolise the countries of the Commonwealth. The emblem appears in the Queen's personal flags of Australia, Barbados, Jamaica, Canada, and New Zealand.

The flag was created upon the Queen's request in December 1960 to symbolise her as an individual, not associated with her role as sovereign of any particular Commonwealth realm.

Over time, the flag started to be used in place of the British royal standard when the Queen visits Commonwealth countries where she is not head of state and for Commonwealth occasions in the United Kingdom; it came to symbolise the Queen as Head of the Commonwealth. Eventually, the practice evolved wherein the flag is raised at Marlborough House (the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat) in London when the Queen visits, rather than the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom.

Commonwealth realms

Since the 1960s, flags have been introduced to represent the queen in various commonwealth realms. These flags have followed the same basic pattern: the nation's coat of arms in banner form with the device found on her personal flag. These flags are only used by the Queen when she was in their respective countries. The Queen's representatives in these nations have their own flags to represent them.

  • Royal Standard of Canada

    Canada (1962-)

  • Royal Standard of Australia

    Australia (1962-)

  • Royal Standard of New Zealand

    New Zealand (1962-)

  • Royal Standard of Jamaica

    Jamaica (1962-)

  • Royal Standard of Barbados

    Barbados (1966-)

  • Royal Standard of Sierra Leone

    Sierra Leone (1961-1971)

  • Royal Standard of Trinidad and Tobago (1962–1976)

    Trinidad and Tobago (1966 - 1976)

  • Royal Standard of Malta (1964)

    Malta (1967 - 1974)

  • Royal Standard of Mauritius

    Mauritius (1968 - 1992)

Images for kids

  • Princess Elizabeth holding flowers on stage with Prince Philip and several people. Royal Visit 1951, Ontario (2)

    Princess Elizabeth's standard flying in the background, during her 1951 royal tour of Canada

  • The Royal Yacht Britannia in King George Dock, Hull 13th July 1977 (archive ref CCHU-4-1-9-2) (25952853264)

    The Royal Yacht Britannia flying the Royal Standard and the Flag of the Lord High Admiral, 1977

  • Royal motorcade (8075978363)

    The Queen's Canadian Standard flying on her car, at the opening of the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Alberta

  • Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the Closing Ceremony of the XII Commonwealth Games, Brisbane

    The Queen's Australian Standard being used by her at Brisbane, 1982

  • Round Tower, Windsor Castle, England - Nov 2006

    The Royal Standard flying above the Round Tower at Windsor Castle, 2006

  • Royal Standard Holyrood

    The Scottish Royal Standard flying over Holyrood Palace, 2007

  • Queen Elizabeth's Personal Canadian Flag at Parliament Hill

    The Queen's Canadian standard flying from the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill, 1 July 2010

  • Royal wave Queen's Car

    The British Royal Standard flying on top of the Queen's car during the 2011 Royal Wedding

  • 20150624 Die Queen am Grossen Stern IMG 5672 by sebaso

    The Royal Standard flying on top of the Queen's car, during her state visit to Germany, 2015

  • Commonwealth Day parade 2019

    The Queen's personal flag flying at the Commonwealth Day parade in Belize City, 2019

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