The St George’s Cross, a red cross on a white background, is recognised worldwide as the flag of England. King Richard I, the Lionheart (1157–99) reputedly adopted St George’s Cross as his flag in the late 12th century, during the crusades. English soldiers also used red crosses throughout succeeding centuries, among many other religious flags […]
The West Indies Federation Flag
The West Indies Federation was a short-lived political union between various Caribbean islands, all British colonies. It existed from 3 January 1958 to 31 May 1962, and ‘mother of Jamaican art’ Edna Manley (1900–87) designed its flag. Her design comprised two pairs of wavy horizontal white stripes on blue to represent the Caribbean Sea. The upper […]
Easter Island Flag
The flag of Easter Island first flew in public, alongside the Chilean flag, on 9 May 2006. Easter Island is a special territory of Chile. Adorning the flag’s white field is a red Reimiro, an ornament worn around the chest. The Reimiro … served as an insignia of high rank, and the paramount chief of […]
The Silver Fern – New Zealand’s new flag?
We will soon be hearing about the Silver Fern and two flag referendums taking place in New Zealand. Following his re-election, Prime Minister John Key will fulfil a pledge made in March 2014 to hold a referendum on changing the national flag. Led by ‘respected New Zealanders’, a public consultation period will run from May […]
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