Publications

We offer a wide range of publications in print and/or PDF.

Subscribe, view or download – see individual titles for details.

Flagmaster

Flagmaster (1971 to date) is our twice-yearly full-colour journal, available exclusively to members.

Published in print or PDF (No.117 to date). New, expanded 48-page format (No.160 to date).

For more details, please click here.

Flagmaster Archive

The full Flagmaster Archive (No.1 to date) is available to view or download exclusively to members.

Not a member? Join the Flag Institute now!

Identify articles using the full Flagmaster Index.

Research Notes / Presentations

Occasional papers and presentations available to view or download exclusively to members.

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British Flags & Emblems

British Flags & Emblems (Flag Institute, 2004) is the definitive guide, compiled by Chief Vexillologist Graham Bartram.

Foreword by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.

For further details click here.

Flying Flags in the United Kingdom

What is correct UK flag protocol?

What rules apply when flying flags in the UK?

Flying Flags in the United Kingdom (Flag Institute/UK Parliamentary Flags & Heraldry Committee; 2010, revised 2020) is the authoritative guide.

Find a few simple rules to follow when flying the UK’s national flags in different situations:

UK Parliamentary approval
includes the Union Flag (or Union Jack) and the flags of England, Scotland and Wales
practical, easy to use
clear illustrations and diagrams
distributed to every UK government department and local authority
for anyone with a flagpole

Free to read online or browse/download in PDF format.

Union Jack or Union Flag?

Either name is valid.

Read on to find out why …

Free to view or download here.

Flags for Churches

Flags for Churches (Flag Institute, 2020) is a 6-page booklet giving a simple guide to this popular topic.

Free to view or download here.

NB: the booklet does not include recent changes to the Official UK Flag Flying Days made following the accession of King Charles III.

Please follow the link to view the current list.

Colours of the Fleet / Badges of the British Commonwealth

Colours of the Fleet (Malcolm Farrow, 2020) provides a brief history and catalogue of all the defaced ensigns ever granted. It currently contains over 700 flags. Initially compiled by Malcolm Farrow in the early 1990s. Edited and updated by Malcolm Farrow and David Prothero to 2015.

Note: Malcolm Farrow asserts his rights as author of this work. The information contained therein is free to reuse subject to an appropriate acknowledgement.

Free to view or download in PDF format here.

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 comprehensive indexes.

Free to view or download in PDF format here.

Note: Rudi Longueville asserts his rights as author of this work. The information contained therein is free to reuse subject to an appropriate acknowledgement.

Can you help?

These two publications 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 grand encyclopedia. However, they lack the time and resources needed to do so. If you can help, please the Flag Institute.

The Guiding Principles of Flag Design

The Guiding Principles of Flag Design (Flag Institute/NAVA, 2014) offers authoritative, in-depth design advice.

Free to view or download here.

Flying Flags: a Plain English Guide

Up-to-date guidance from the UK Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). This guide provides a brief summary of the new liberalised controls over flag flying introduced on 12 October 2012.

Available from the UK Government website — free to view or download.

Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant: a Visual Guide to the Flags Used

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.