List of Scottish flags

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This is a list of flags that are used exclusively in Scotland. Other flags used in Scotland, as well as the rest of the United Kingdom can be found at list of British flags.

National flag[]

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	Since at least 1513[1]	Flag of Scotland, also known as the Saint Andrew's Cross or The Saltire	A white saltire on a sky blue field
			A vertical white saltire on a sky blue field.

A white saltire on a Pantone 300 medium blue per Scottish National Flag Code.

Royal flags[]

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	Since 1837	Royal Standard of the United Kingdom used in Scotland	A banner of the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom used exclusively in Scotland by the sovereign. An alternative form is used elsewhere.[2]
	Since c. 1222[1]	Royal Banner of Scotland	A banner of the ancient Royal Coat of Arms of Scotland, now officially used in Scotland by representatives of the sovereign, including the First Minister of Scotland (as keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland), the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Lord Lyon King of Arms, and Lord Lieutenants within their lieutenancies.[2][3] This flag is also used at the royal residences of Holyrood Palace and Balmoral Castle when the sovereign is not present.
		Standard of the Duke of Rothesay.	The Royal Banner of Scotland defaced with a label of three points.
	Since 1974[4]	Personal banner of the 23rd Duke of Rothesay	The personal banner of the current Duke, Prince Charles. The arms are based upon those of the Chief of Clan Stewart of Appin, and represent in the 1st and 4th quarters the title of Great Steward of Scotland whilst the 2nd and 3rd quarters represent the title of Lord of the Isles. In the centre, to difference the arms from those of Appin, is placed an escutcheon bearing the arms of the heir apparent to the King of Scots.[2]
	Since 2011	Standard of the Earl of Strathearn.	The Standard of Prince William, namely the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom used in Scotland, defaced with a label of three points, the centre point bearing a red scallop.
	Since 2018	Standard of the Earl of Dumbarton.	The Standard of Prince Harry, namely the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom used in Scotland, defaced with a label of five points, the first, centre and fifth points bearing a red scallop.
	Since 1986	Standard of the Earl of Inverness.	The Standard of Prince Andrew, namely the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom used in Scotland defaced with a label of three points, the centre point bearing a blue anchor.[2]
	Since 1999	Standard of the Earl of Forfar.	The Standard of Prince Edward, namely the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom used in Scotland defaced with a label of three points, the centre point bearing a Tudor Rose.[2]
	Since 1987	Standard of the Princess Royal used in Scotland	The Standard of Princess Anne, namely the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom used in Scotland defaced with a label of three points, the first and third points bearing a St George's Cross, the centre point bearing a red heart.[2]

Government flags[]

Flag	Date	Use	Description
		The ensign used aboard ships of the Scottish Government, such as the patrol boats of Marine Scotland	A Blue Ensign defaced with the badge of the former Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency

Counties, regions, and cities[]

Counties[]

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	Since 2016	Flag of Caithness	Black, with a blue Scandinavian Cross fimbriated in gold, and a galley in the upper hoist.[5]
	Since 2018	Flag of East Lothian (Haddingtonshire)	A blue field with a gold saltire voided blue; over all a lozenge with a lion rampant.
	Since 2016	Flag of Kirkcudbrightshire	A green and white quartered field bearing the Cross of St Cuthbert (from whom the county is named).
	Since 2007	Flag of Orkney	Red, with a blue Nordic Cross outlined in yellow that extends to the edges of the flag. The colours from the Royal Standards of Scotland and of Norway and the Flag of Scotland.[5]
	Since 2005 Created 1969	Flag of Shetland	Blue, with a white Nordic Cross. The colours of the Scottish flag.[5]
	Since 2018	Flag of Sutherland	White, with a black nordic cross and black Saltire, and a gold eight-pointed star where the crosses intersect, representing the sun rising position within the Scottish sky. The white represents the former arms of the Sutherland County Council, while the black represents dark skies and the peat of the Flow Country.[6]

Islands[]

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	Since 2017	Flag of Barra	Green, with a white Scandinavian Cross showing the ancestry of the people and places names of Barra. The green represents the green of the Barra Isles.[7]
	Since 2018	Flag of Tiree	'The Sun of Barley': green, with twelve barley stalks in a wheel pattern. The green represents the fertility of the isle and the 'barley sun' its reputation as the 'sunshine isle' and the name 'Land of Barley' (Tìr an Eòrna).[8]
	Since 2017	Flag of South Uist[9][10]	A green flag bearing a blue Scandinavian Cross fimbriated in white
	Since 2020	Flag of Isle of Skye	Blue, with a yellow Scandinavian Cross entwined with a white circle. The flag brings together elements of the island’s Viking and Celtic heritage and depicts a birlinn boat with five oars – one for every area of the island.[11]

Local authorities[]

Flag	Date	Use	Description
		Flag of Aberdeen	Three white/silver castles within a white/silver royal tressure on a red field, a heraldic flag taken from the city council's coat of arms.
		Flag of Angus	A heraldic flag derived from the arms of Angus Council, consisting of four quarters containing a red crowned lion passant, a gold cinquefoil, a blue-white checked strip crossed with buckled red belt, and a depiction of the heart of Robert the Bruce to represent the four ancient earldoms of Angus.[12]
		Flag of Edinburgh	A heraldic flag derived from the arms of Edinburgh Council.[13]
		Flag of Dundee	Three lilies in a vase in white/silver on a blue field, a heraldic flag taken from the city council's coat of arms.
		Flag of the Outer Hebrides (and the council area Comhairle nan Eilean Siar)

Historical flags[]

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	Until 1707	Scottish Red Ensign, used by the Royal Scottish Navy	A Red Ensign with the Flag of Scotland in the canton.
	1606–1707	Scottish Union Flag	First Union Flag with the Flag of Scotland superior to and overlying the Flag of England.
	c.1617	An early version of the Union Jack that appears on a painted wooden ceiling boss from Linlithgow Palace	A blue Saint Andrew's Saltire superimposed over a red Saint George's Cross on a white background.
	17th-century	Scottish Covenanter flag
	1698	Flag of the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies.
	1715	The Jacobite Standard of 1715.	The Royal coat of arms of the Kingdom of Scotland with a scroll underneath bearing the motto "NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT" on a field of dark blue.
	1745–1746	Standard of Bonnie Prince Charlie, raised at Glenfinnan on 19 August 1745.	A red flag, surrounded by a blue border on all sides, with a white square in the centre containing the White Rose of York.
	1745–1746	A representation of the Jacobite Standard said to have been used by Jacobite forces in 1745.
	1944–1952	Standard of Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh	The Standard of Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (prior to her accession as Queen Elizabeth II), namely the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom used in Scotland defaced with a label of three points, the first and third points bearing a Saint George's Cross, the centre point bearing a Tudor Rose.
	pre–2007	Former unofficial flag of Orkney, denied formal recognition by the Lord Lyon in 2001	The Cross of St Magnus. (An official flag was adopted in 2007).
	2018	Flag of Sutherland	A swooping eagle, seen face on, against a vertical bicoloured red and yellow background, with the eagle counterchanged yellow and red; At the hoist three stars or mullets. Was originally unveiled as the Flag of Sutherland in February 2018, but was placed on hold due to backlash from residents. A public vote beginning in October 2018 led to the retirement of this flag in favour of the current design.
	1952–2021	Standard of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh	A banner of the Coat of Arms of Prince Philip; 1st quarter representing Denmark, 2nd quarter Greece, 3rd quarter the Mountbatten family, 4th quarter Edinburgh.[14]

Organisations[]

Flag	Date	Use	Description
		Ensign of the Northern Lighthouse Board	A Blue Ensign defaced with a lighthouse
		Commissioner's flag of the Northern Lighthouse Board	A White Ensign with a pre-1801 Union Flag in the canton, defaced with a lighthouse
		Flag of the Church of Scotland	The flag of Scotland with the burning bush in the centre.
		Flag of the Scottish Republican Socialist Movement	The flag of Scotland on the left side of a red flag, with a golden Triquetra knot in the centre of the red section.

Notes[]

References[]

• Scotland (United Kingdom) at Flags of the World. Retrieved on 29 May 2009.

External links[]

Media related to Flags of Scotland at Wikimedia Commons