User:Oedipe23/sandbox

The flag of Sark is white with a red St. George's cross and a red canton containing the two lions from the flag of Normandy. This version of the flag was officially granted in 2020.

Before 2020, the traditionnal flag of Sark showed the two lions protruding outside the canton and overflowing the red cross. It was designed by Herbert Pitt in 1938 and adopted as the personal standard of the Seigneur of Sark before becoming the island's flag.

History
Sark is a Channel Island part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, originally part of the Duchy of Normandy.

In a letter dated March 15, 1938 addressed to Sibyl Hathaway and entitled  Island of Sark, Governement or States flag , Herbert Pitt drew the flag of Sark with the following description:   On a White Field, the Red cross of St George. The 1st Quarter  Gules, 2 lions-leopards passant guardant Or  (Normandy Ancient). The lion in base impinging on the dexter arm of the Cross   . It combined the St. George's cross and the flag of Normandy of which Sark is geographically and historically part. Dame Sibyl once claimed to the Flag Institute that this flag had been in use for "at least 200 years". Seigneur Michael Beaumont wrote later:  Who designed it when I have no idea but I would guess it was at the instigation of my grandmother, Dame Sybil Hathaway, sometime between the wars .

In 1970, Dame Sybil wrote to the Flag Institute and confirmed that the flag, originally intended as a personal banner, was the flag of Sark. When she died in 1974, it was draped over her coffin.

In 1987, when Sark was invited to participate in Island Games, Seigneur Michael Beaumont granted permission for the Seigneur's flag to be used as the flag of Sark. Beaumont later insisted it was still his personal flag but the Sark residents argued that it should be for the island. The dispute was settled in 1991 when Beaumont stated that due to it being perceived as Sark's flag then he would agree to it being accepted as such. He then chose for his personal banner a red banner with two golden lions.

New version and official grant (2020)
Shortly after succeeding his father as Seigneur, Christopher Beaumont realised that the flag had not been endorsed by The Crown. He contacted the College of Arms to petition the Queen to approve a design of the flag in which the lions are smaller than in the traditional flag. The flag was formally granted on 4 June 2020 by Elizabeth II; this was the final grant made by her before her death.

Use outside Sark
The flag of Sark is flown alongside the flags of other Crown Dependencies in Parliament Square in London.

On August 6, the flag is flown from the Ministry of Justice in London to mark the granting of the fief on that day in 1565. The Ministry of Justice is the British government department responsible for relations with the Crown Dependencies.

Flag of Brecquou
In the 1960s, Dame Sibyl Hathaway sold the tenement of the island of Brecqhou to Leonard Matchan. Upon taking up the tenancy, he adopted his own flag for Brecqhou using the Seigneur's flag as the basis and sewed his own personal coat of arms onto it. In 1993, when the tenement was purchased by David and Frederick Barclay, they also adopted their own flag by using the Seigneur's flag with their coat of arms defacing it.