The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the world map

the world map.

in England

Coat of Arms
Flags
National Animals
National Flowers
Patron Saints
Anthems

Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland:
Union Flag or Union

The British Flag: a symbol of unity

and the Unicorn are heraldic symbols of the United Kingdom.

The shield is quartered:
the three passant guardant lions of England
the rampant lion and double tressure fleury-counter-fleury of Scotland
a harp for Ireland.
The crest is a statant guardant lion wearing the imperial crown.
The dexter supporter is a crowned English lion; the sinister, a Scottish unicorn. The heraldic unicorn is chained.

The coat features both the motto of English monarchs, Dieu et mon droit (God and my right), and the motto of the Order of the Garter, Honi soit qui mal y pense (Shamed be he who thinks ill of it).

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used in Scotland.
(Coat of Arms of Queen Elizabeth as issued

The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom.
(Coat of Arms of Queen Elizabeth II as issued in England, Wales and Northern Ireland)

Versions of the Royal coat of arms:

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3

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of the coat of arms is used by the Scotland

This variant of the Royal Arms is used by other members of the Royal Family; and by the British Government in connection with the administration and government of the country.

Whitehall. This is the entrance to the Scotland Office.
The Scottish

What is the Scottish Office? Is it in Scotland?

Hanoverian period.
Royal Coat of Arms at Fingask Castle, Perth and

The British one pound coin, from 1983, ornamental royal arms.

The Use of the Coat of Arms.

coins of £1 and below was unveiled by the Royal

The new designs have been chosen via an open competition. The winning designer is 26-year-old Matthew Dent, originally from Bangor who now lives and works in London as a graphic designer.

United Kingdom is the flag used by Queen Elizabeth II

The Royal Standard used outside Scotland.

The Royal Standard used in Scotland.

Although almost universally called a standard, such flags when used in the United Kingdom are banners of arms, as they comprise the shield of the Royal Arms. Outside of the United Kingdom, the Royal Standard is usually a national flag with a blue disc containing a wreath of gold roses encircling the crowned letter 'E', (for 'Elizabeth'), superimposed upon it. Variants of the Royal Standard are used for other members of the British Royal Family.

The Royal Standard is flown at royal residences only when the sovereign is present.

of Holyroodhouse
The Royal Standard flying above Buckingham Palace

- "God and my right"
It appears on a scroll beneath

It was first used as a password by King Richard I in 1198 at the Battle of Gisors, when he defeated the forces of Philip II of France. This implies that Richard owed his royalty to no power other than God and his own heredity, and was therefore subject to no earthly power nor other monarch. This can be taken as a direct reference to the doctrine of the Divine Right of Kings.

Henry V (1386–87 – 31 August 1422) was King of England from 1413 until his death.

Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He was known as Richard the Lionheart, because of his reputation as a great military leader and warrior.

monarch is female. The anthem's name, however, remains "God Save

The National and Royal anthem of the United Kingdom and territories.

God Save the Queen (standard version)
God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen:
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us:
God save the Queen.

O Lord, our God, arise,
Scatter her enemies,
And make them fall.
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
On Thee our hopes we fix,
God save us all.

Thy choicest gifts in store,
On her be pleased to pour;
Long may she reign:
May she defend our laws,
And ever give us cause
To sing with heart and voice
God save the Queen.

The first definitive published version of the present tune appeared in 1744.

There is no definitive version of the lyrics.

The standard version of the melody is still that of the original.

The phrase "God Save the King" is much older than the song.

"God Save the King"

The phrase "God Save the King" long predates the song and as seen in this poster from World War I it remains a rallying cry to the support of the monarch and the nation's forces.

national flag of the United Kingdom, 1801 - …
Why is

Flag used in Scotland from early 17th century (1606) -1707.
The

The flag of Scotland, 1300 - …

The flag of England, 1275 - …

The second Union Flag. 1801, still remains the flag of the United Kingdom.

The alternative Union Flag

Government of Northern Ireland between (1953-1972) and still used to

Saint Patrick's saltire. A red saltire on a white field. Used to represent Ireland in the Union Flag and unofficially to represent Ireland from the Act of Union to the Anglo-Irish Treaty.

1783 - 1922

1275 -

Flag of Scotland, also known as the St Andrew's Cross, or the Saltire. A white saltire on a blue field. National flag used by Scottish Government and agencies, as well as by ordinary citizens.

1300 -

Flag of England, also known as the St George's Cross. A red cross on a white field. It is used mainly by the Church of England.

A red cross on a white field with a red hand, on a six pointed white star, crowned (representing the six counties in Northern Ireland).

There is no official National flag of Northern Ireland.

is often drawn incorrectly.

left.
The cross of St Patrick abuts at a right-angle to

Incorrect way to fly the flag, unless flagpole is to the right.

can rotate the flag and it still will be the

The broader (wider) diagonal white stripe should be at the top on the side of the flag nearest the flagpole.

The Union Flag with the St. George's Cross removed showing how the saltires (diagonal crosses) are counterchanged.

Flag flying upside down

or Y Ddraig Goch ('the red dragon‘).
A red passant dragon

National flag is used by the Welsh Assembly Government and agencies.

It was used by Henry VII at the battle of Bosworth in 1485 after which it was carried in state to St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Henry VII (before accession known as Henry Tudor; 28 January 1457 – 21 April 1509) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the Tudor dynasty.

St. Paul’s Cathedral

The cathedral is one of London's most famous and most recognisable sights.

up the United Kingdom have their own National Day, named

Wales

Northern Ireland

England

Scotland

Saint David

Saint Patrick

Saint George

Saint Andrew

Patron Saints

up the United Kingdom have their own National Day, named

Wales

Northern Ireland

England

Scotland

Saint David

Saint Patrick

Saint George

Saint Andrew

St. David's Day

St. Patrick's Day

St. George's Day

St. Andrew's Day

1 March

Patron Saints

National days

Dates

17 March

23 April

30 November

official holiday

official holiday

been adopted as England’s emblem since the time of the

The Tudor rose (sometimes called the Union Rose) is the traditional floral heraldic emblem of England and takes its name and origins from the Tudor dynasty.

the royal house of York
(whose emblem was a white rose)

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=

Upon Henry Tudor's ascension to the throne the Red Rose was merged with the White Rose of York to form the Tudor Rose.

the royal house of Lancaster
(whose emblem was a red rose)

England

flower of Scotland.
The national emblem and national flower of Scotland

It was first used in the 15th century as a symbol of defence.

As legend has it, an invading army had attempted to sneak up at night on the Scots. One, perhaps barefooted, unwelcome foreign soldier stumbled upon a Scots Thistle, and cried out in pain, thus alerting Scots to their presence.

Scotland

is commemorated by the wearing of daffodils or leeks. Both

Wales

The daffodil is closely associated with St. David’s day, due to belief that it flowers on that day (1 March).
It became an alternative to the leek as a Welsh floral emblem in the 20th century, because some thought the leek vulgar.

St David advised the Welsh, on the eve of battle with the Saxons, to wear leeks in their caps to distinguish friend from the enemy. Shakespeare mentions in Henry V, that the Welsh archers wore leeks at the battle of Agincourt in 1415.

The other is the belief that St.David is supposed to have lived for several years on bread and wild leek.

similar to clover.
An Irish tale tells of how Patrick used

St Patrick's day is marked by the wearing of shamrocks (a clover-like plant), the national emblem of both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Northern Ireland

Flax is also the emblem of Northern Ireland and used by the Northern Ireland Assembly. In a coronet, it appeared on the reverse of the British one pound coin to represent Northern Ireland on coins minted in 1986 and 1991. Flax also represents Northern Ireland on the badge of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and on various logos associated with it.

Wales, and is incorporated into the Welsh national flag.
The dragon

Hampton Court Unicorn

with supporters (since 1925)
Royal Badge of Wales
(since 2008)
Contains three gold

Contains a red lion rampant on a gold field.

right"
Formerly “Quis separabit?” (Latin) – "Who will separate?"
4th/7th Royal Dragoon

Royal Ulster Rifles

Irish Guards

Cymru am byth (Welsh) – "Wales forever"

In My Defens God Me Defend (Scots)

C. Benson
Music by: Edward Elgar
First performed: 1901
Northern Ireland –

Words by: Katherine Tynan Hinkson
Music by: traditional
In use to: 1972

Scotland – "Flower of Scotland"

Words by: Roy Williamson
Music by: Roy Williamson
In use since: 1990

Wales – "Hen wlad fy nhadau" (Land of my Fathers)

Words by: Evan James (Welsh), W. S. Gwynn Williams (English)
Music by: James James
In use since: 1858

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(diagonal x-shaped red saltire).
1801
It's a composite flag of
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(the centered red

England's St. George's Cross

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(the diagonal white cross on the blue field),

Saint Andrew's Cross of Scotland

the Patron Saint of Ireland