Talk:Flag of the United Kingdom

Proportion 3:5
The info-box states that the proportion of the flag is 3:5 but the flag shown is 1:2. So which is correct? &#9798; CUSH &#9798; 10:03, 1 January 2016 (UTC)


 * Both are correct; there are 2 ratios.
 * The ratio that's used on land is 3:5... (shown here) Flag of the United Kingdom (3-5).svg
 * The other one, of which is 1:2, is the correct ratio out at sea. (also shown here) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
 * Simple! The 3:5 ratio is also apparently used by the British Army. Kxeon (talk) 16:53, 10 September 2022 (UTC)

I know for theory that's not true. A 1:2 ratio flag can be seen at Buckingham Palace. Also a 3:5 ratio flag was also seen on sea according to a retweet by @yrreb_xela. OMGShay 92 (talk) 16:19, 11 September 2022 (UTC)


 * How would you know? Do you study flags? Conor M98 (talk) 16:21, 11 September 2022 (UTC)
 * Well… sort of!
 * When I’m interested in a thing’s flag, I go and try and find it! If I see a flag I’ve never seen before, I’ll try and take a picture of it when possible.
 * In this case, I got interested in the Flag of the UK, so I checked it out. I looked at the Flag Institute in the UK, and it turns out there was a “Union Flag Bill” in 2008. It said lots of things, so I’ll let you read it for yourself as well. However… it, according to the flag institute, it couldn’t progress farther than it’s first reading.
 * (Why did I reply to this when he wasnt replying to me at all🤦‍♂️) Kxeon (talk) 04:39, 28 November 2022 (UTC)

I don't have any particularly view on which version of the flag shoudl be shown (first) in the infobox. 3:5 is on one level the traditional proportions for British land flags, and is used by the Army, but there are plenty of official situations which have been influenced by the naval tradition of 1:2 flags. It would be a mistake to say that one or other is "the correct" proportions, or even to suggest that the two versions are different flags. Vexillology on Wikipedia gives the impression that proportions of flags are a necessary defining feature of flag designs way too much. JPD (talk) 05:14, 12 September 2022 (UTC)

I would support using the 3:5 ratio version first and the 1:2 version second. While actual usage is far from consistent, the flags of England, Wales, and Scotland all use 3:5 as standard on Wikipedia so I tend toward the position that the 3:5 version ought to be listed first.CorwenAv (talk) 22:39, 19 December 2022 (UTC)

Wanted to throw my vexillogical hat in the ring having studied with the Flag Institute and researched our national flag extensively; the 1:2 version is flown from the Palace of Westminster and most official buildings and this is chiefly due to the flag's design flying better in the dimensions 1:2; perspective distortion makes it look less elongated when flying. The 3:5 version is typically used on documents or print, but not traditionally as the physical flag when flown officially, so both arguments are valid. I personally find the 1:2 version more befitting of the design. UnknownBrick22 (talk) 00:53, 12 January 2023 (UTC)


 * The flag flying from the Palace of Westminster is certainly not the 1:2 variant. Personal opinions about whether 1:2 or 3:5 is "more befitting the design" are not valid arguments. While the convention of 3:5 on land and 1:2 at sea may not be established in statute law, they are conventions that are generally respected. On Wikipedia the flags of England, Scotland and Wales are all depicted in the 3:5 ratio standard for land flags in the UK. In any case, the svg files used on Wikipedia are more akin to documents and print, they're static images, not snapping from a flagpole. 2.103.28.104 (talk) 21:27, 26 January 2023 (UTC)
 * Since there is no law about the aspect ratios, we need to look at real life examples. The most common variant is the 1:2 version, but the 3:5 variant is often used on land, as well as being used by the British Army. HOWEVER, since the British government uses 1:2 and its more commonly seen everywhere else, I think the page should show the 1:2 version with the 3:5 flag as a variant. 2601:647:4800:5700:4C22:D3DA:7C8B:4375 (talk) 03:01, 28 February 2023 (UTC)
 * According to A Complete Guide to Heraldry, the 1:2 version is an adaptation of the version designed by the Privy Council.
 * The 1911 Britannica uses the 3:5 version]
 * British driving licences use the 3:5 variant
 * British registration plates also use the 3:5 version
 * The Royal College of Arms states the 3:5 version is for use on land, and the 1:2 version for use at sea. In its article on flag etiquette gov.uk directs people to the Royal College of Arms for further guidance.
 * The College of Arms seems to be the most authoritative source, so I would suggest following their guidelines. Most depictions of British flags other than the Union Jack on Wikipedia use 3:5, such as the flag of St. George etc. Valethske (talk) 05:57, 10 April 2023 (UTC)

Move discussion in progress
There is a move discussion in progress on Talk:Flag of the United States which affects this page. Please participate on that page and not in this talk page section. Thank you. —RMCD bot 22:45, 11 June 2020 (UTC)

Flag Flying days outdated
Jbcaptain2 (talk) 18:22, 29 September 2020 (UTC) This page claims that Europe Day is a flag flying day. This is no longer the case.
 * Removed! Thanks! --Foghe (talk) 21:08, 29 September 2020 (UTC)

Vexillological symbol
Right now this page uses to indicate the status of the flag, which the page on vexillological symbols says means that the flag is the "normal or de jure version of [the] flag," yet the page on the Union Jack says that it's the "de facto national flag of the United Kingdom," which the aforementioned page on vexillological symbols says should be represented by, which means that the flag is the "de facto flag, widely accepted and used." Which one is correct?

2601:40D:8001:53C0:174D:F7A2:EE70:4594 (talk) 18:56, 19 November 2022 (UTC)

Edited to show images 2601:40D:8001:53C0:174D:F7A2:EE70:4594 (talk) 19:01, 19 November 2022 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 30 January 2023
Would you change the lead section, which is intended for superfluous bolding:

"The national flag of the United Kingdom is the Union Jack, also known as the Union Flag." 112.205.163.46 (talk) 08:35, 30 January 2023 (UTC)
 * ✅ Lemonaka (talk) 09:33, 30 January 2023 (UTC)
 * It's not like that, see the Manual of Style/Lead section for MOS:BOLDLINKAVOID and MOS:TITLEABSENTBOLD. 112.205.163.46 (talk) 08:36, 6 February 2023 (UTC)

Ensigns
Is it normal to include ensigns in the infobox for national flag pages like this? I suppose they are flags plural of the United Kingdom. But isn't this article supposed to be about the flag of the United Kingdom? Wouldn't the more appropriate place for the ensigns be in their own section within the article or linked to at British ensign? I'm just conscious that there's no limit to the number of derivative flags which could be included like the civil air ensign. It goes on and on. Dgp4004 (talk) 15:57, 9 July 2024 (UTC)