Today 9 March 2015 is Commonwealth Day.
The Commonwealth first adopted its flag on 26 March 1976 and introduced a new pattern in November 2013.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Ottawa, Canada, in 1973 suggested the idea, developing it from car pennants.
Arnold Smith, the first Commonwealth Secretary-General, and Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau take credit for the initiative.
The 2013 pattern contains a number of small but significant changes to the original.
2013 pattern
The globe is now tilted slightly.
The number of ‘spearheads forming the surrounding ‘C for Commonwealth’ motif has gone from 64 to 34.
Finally, the colour of the field changed from Pantone 286 to Pantone 280, making it a slightly lighter blue.
1976 pattern
The 2013 pattern exists in two versions: a standard 3:5 version and a 1:2 version.
Every British Overseas Territory has a 1:2 ratio flag.
Bonus fact: Commonwealth Day is not a fixed date but takes place on the second Monday of March each year.
Author: Alex Crouch, Flag Institute accredited journalist (2015/16).
This ‘flag’, created by a French leaning Canadian, clearly mirrors the despised EU flag and in no way shows any historic link to Britain. Why was this approved without any element of The Union Flag, the Crown or red, white and blue? Obviously styled to look like an EU flag from a distance with even the same ‘ring of Stars’ type format. Disgusting, and further evidence of the sinister plot by the autocratic EU to usurp everything British!
I agree that the flag looks too EU although I would not agree with the other comments made about individuals etc by mr Caslaw. But I would say the time is right for the common wealth to have a new flag that is distant from the EU and perhaps incorporates the spirit of its heretage. What about the queen launching a project between the schools of the common wealth to come up with a new design? After all are we not now looking forward to build better opportunities for future generations after Brexit?
Thank you everybody.