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French Tricolores fly outside the Assemblée nationale, Paris, on 15 February 2024 to celebrate the 230th anniversary of the flag

Happy 230th birthday to the French tricolore

Chapeau to our friends in the Société Française de Vexillologie (SFV), who recently organised a great day in French vexillology. Thursday 15 February marked the 230th anniversary of the French tricolore in its present form. So the SFV’s Bertrand Valeyre invited Mme Yaël Braun-Pivet, president of the Assemblée nationale, to raise the flag in celebration. […]

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Website update

While we update our website, online joining and renewal options may be temporarily unavailable. But please don’t despair. You can still join the Flag Institute or renew your membership. Simply click on this post to email the Flag Institute Administrator, or call 07935 973072 (answerphone), and we’ll be in touch.    

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Conway Hall Library Room showing bookcases, tables and chairs

Flag Institute Spring Conference 2024 – book now

Booking is now open for the Flag Institute Spring Conference 2024, taking place in central London on Saturday 18 May, 9.30am–5pm. As ever we’ll be showcasing a mix of contemporary and historical vexillological presentations. Speakers will include Brian Cham on the Tino Rangatiratanga Flag (Maori Flag). Further announcements will follow shortly. The registration fee is […]

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Commander Bruce Nicolls RN

We are sad to report that Commander Bruce Nicolls RN died on 2 July 2023 at the age of 91. Bruce served in the Royal Navy (1946–82), where he first became interested in vexillology and heraldry. He was a prolific designer of flags, including those of Guernsey, the Mary Rose Trust and the Royal Naval […]

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Greenknowe Tower, Berwickshire

Flag for Berwickshire

Design an official flag for Berwickshire! That’s the challenge to groups and individuals set by a new competition launched last month. The contest – run by Berwickshire Civic Society with support from the Fallago Environment Fund – offers a first prize of £250. The Court of Lord Lyon and the Flag Institute will also register […]

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Katie Ayers displays her knitted Union Jack

Knit your own Union Jack?

Knit your own Union Jack? Why not? Buckinghamshire-based Katie Ayers set herself this challenge and turned to us for vital information. Our Union Flag Specification gave her the correct proportions to plot the number of stitches. Then she started with a number of smaller examples… and just kept going. You can see a proud Katie […]

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The official Aberdeenshire flag flies over Castle Fraser at its unveiling, 22 April 2023

Aberdeenshire flag unveiled

The official Aberdeenshire flag has been unveiled at a ceremony at Castle Fraser on Saturday 22 April 2023. Five students from two local primary schools contributed to the winning design and were there to hoist their flag. Lord Lieutenant Sandy Manson, Communities Vexillologist Philip Tibbetts and scores of locals also attended the event. Aberdeenshire is […]

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New Utah state flag

New state flag for Utah

The US state of Utah has a new state flag – but only by five votes. The flag bill now awaits the signature of the state governor before it becomes law. As reported in Flagmaster 165, the new flag features a prominent gold hexagon containing a beehive and a five-pointed Utah star. The hexagon represents […]

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Keith Primary School pupils and vexillologist Philip Tibbetts launch the Banffshire flag design competition, February 2023.

New flags for Moray and Banffshire

New flags for Moray and Banffshire are in prospect after a design competition that opened on 27 February 2023. Communities Vexillologist Phillip Tibbetts visited ten local schools during the competition launch. ‘The kids are very enthusiastic about this,’ said Philip, who is also March Herald and Honorary Vexillologist at the Lyon Court. ‘Around Scotland we […]

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Kevin Harrington 1934-2023

Kevin Harrington 1934-2023

We’re sad to share news that our good friend Kevin Harrington died on 19 February. Kevin was the long-time President of the Canadian Flag Association / Association canadienne de vexillologie. He was a well-known figure at International Congresses of Vexillology and a major contributor to the study of flags. We enjoyed his company most recently […]

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