The Royal Standard of HM Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen’s presence is, by long tradition, marked by the flying of Her Majesty’s Royal Standard. This flag is flown over a building in which The Queen is present, from a ship in which Her Majesty is travelling, from the roof of The Queen’s official cars and from Royal Aircraft when on the Ground.

The Royal Standard is not flown from ecclesiastical buildings, with the exception of Westminster Abbey which may fly the Standard even in The Queen’s absence providing Her Majesty is in the vicinity of the Abbey.

The Standard is a distinctive flag- it is made up of four quarterings from the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom (The Royal Arms). The first and fourth quartering is the three lions of England; the second quarter is the Lion passant of Scotland while the third is the Harp of Ireland (now representing Northern Ireland) (The Royal Standard).

The Queen’s standard changes slightly in Scotland with the Scottish lion becoming the first and fourth quarters to represent the Crown in Scotland (The Royal Standard for Scotland).

In other Commonwealth realms Her Majesty has distinctive national Royal Standards incorporating the State Arms (New Zealand Standard, Canadian Standard, Australian Standard) and The Queen’s personal flag (see Her Majesty’s Personal flag here: The Queen’s Personal Standard) The Queen’s Personal Flag is used by The Queen in Commonwealth states where she is not Head of State e.g. India and Malaysia.

One exception to the rule regarding flying the Standard in The Queen’s absence is that The Relevant Standard may be flown at a parade held in honour of Her Majesty’s birthday in The Queen’s absence.

Filed under The United Kingdom
Tagged Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Protocol, Royal Standards.

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