We offer a wide range of publications in print and/or PDF.
Subscribe, view or download – see individual titles for details.
Flagmaster / Flagmaster Archive
Exclusive to members – join or login here:
– Flagmaster, our twice-yearly, 56-page, full-colour magazine in print or PDF
– complete Flagmaster Archive (FM1–171, 1971 to date) to view/download in PDF
Identify articles using the complete Flagmaster Index.
Research Notes / Presentations
Occasional papers and presentations available to view or download exclusively to members.
British Flags & Emblems
British Flags & Emblems (Flag Institute, 2004) is the definitive guide, compiled by Chief Vexillologist Graham Bartram.
Foreword by HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
This title is now out of print.
Flying Flags in the United Kingdom
Free to view online or view/download in PDF.
Flying Flags in the United Kingdom (Flag Institute/UK Parliamentary Flags & Heraldry Committee; 2010, revised 2024) is the authoritative guide to flag protocol.
Find a few simple rules to follow when flying the UK’s national flags in different situations.
- includes the Union Flag (or Union Jack) and the flags of England, Scotland and Wales
- practical, easy to use advice for anyone with a flagpole
- clear illustrations and diagrams
- distributed to every UK government department and local authority
- UK Parliament approved
Union Jack or Union Flag?
Free to view/download in PDF.
Union Jack or Union Flag? (Flag Institute, 2014) explains why either name is valid.
Read on to find out more …
Flags for Churches
Free to view/download in PDF.
Flags for Churches (Flag Institute; 2020, revised 2024) is a simple guide to frequently asked questions on this popular topic.
Originally published as a poster, now updated and released as a six-page booklet.
Colours of the Fleet
Free to view/download in PDF.
The Colours of the Fleet (Malcolm Farrow, 2020) is a brief history and catalogue of every defaced ensign ever granted.
Compiled by Malcolm Farrow in the early 1990s, then edited and updated by Malcolm Farrow and David Prothero to 2015, it currently describes over 700 flags.
Note: Malcolm Farrow asserts his rights as author of this work. The information contained therein is free to reuse subject to an appropriate acknowledgement.
The Colours of the Fleet and Badges of the British Commonwealth offer complementary perspectives on the history, background and astonishing global reach of British and British-derived ensigns. The authors would love to combine them in a single encyclopedia but lack the time and resources to do so. To help, please the Flag Institute.
Badges of the British Commonwealth
Free to view/download in PDF.
Badges of the British Commonwealth (Rudi Longueville, 2020) is a magisterial work, current to 2011.
It comprises detailed images of the defacing badges of British ensigns, each with an explanatory text, plus full indexes.
Note: Rudi Longueville asserts his rights as author of this work. The information contained therein is free to reuse subject to an appropriate acknowledgement.
Badges of the British Commonwealth and The Colours of the Fleet offer complementary perspectives on the history, background and astonishing global reach of British and British-derived ensigns. The authors would love to combine them in a single encyclopedia but lack the time and resources. To help, please the Flag Institute.
The Guiding Principles of Flag Design
Free to view/download in PDF.
The Guiding Principles of Flag Design (Flag Institute/NAVA, 2014) offers authoritative, in-depth design advice.
Flying Flags: a Plain English Guide
Free up-to-date guidance from the UK Government, providing a brief summary of the current regulations applicable to flag flying in England.
Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant: a Visual Guide to the Flags Used
Free to view/download in PDF.
Compiled by Chief Vexillologist Graham Bartram, Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant: a Visual Guide to the Flags Used (Flag Institute, 2012) is a profusely illustrated companion to this historic royal occasion.
