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Since 1959 (official)(variants first appeared c.1485)
Flag of Wales, also known as Y Ddraig Goch (The Red Dragon)
Per fess Argent and Vert, a dragon passant Gules
A vertical per fess Argent and Vert, a dragon passant Gules
Since 1921
Flag of Saint David
Sable a cross Or
Royal standards[]
Flag
Date
Use
Description
Since 1837
The Royal Standard, used by Queen Elizabeth II in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
A banner of the Queen's Arms, the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom, blazoned Quarterly, I and IV Gules three lions passant guardant in pale Or; II Or a lion rampant within a double tressure flory-counter-flory Gules; III Azure a harp Or stringed Argent
Standard of the Prince of Wales, used only in Wales
A banner based on the arms of the last native Prince of Wales, Llywelyn the Great, with the Prince of Wales's coronet in the centre, blazoned Quarterly Or and Gules four lions passant guardant counterchanged armed and langued Azure, over all an inescutcheon Vert charged with the coronet of the Heir Apparent
Government flags[]
Flag
Date
Use
Description
Since 2017
The ensign used aboard ships of the Welsh Government, such as the patrol boats of the Marine and Fisheries Division.[1]
Used from 1953 until 1959, depicting the Royal Badge of Wales after its augmentation of honour.
Welsh royal standards[]
Flag
Date
Use
Description
1195 – 1378
Banner adopted by Owain Glyndŵr and thought to be derived from the counter-charged arms of the princely Houses of Mathrafal and Dinefwr. It is currently in use by the National Eisteddfod for Wales, Cymdeithas yr Iaith and widely amongst pro-independence groups
Quarterly Or and Gules, four Lions rampant counter-charged
1378 – 1702
Banner of the princely House of Aberffraw and the Kingdom of Gwynedd famously used by Llywelyn the Great, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd and Owain Lawgoch. The Prince of Wales uses a version of this flag today emblazoned with a Crown on a green shield
Quarterly Or and Gules, four Lions passant guardant counter-charged langued and armed Azure
c.987 – c.1034
Banner of the princely House of Mathrafal used during the early Middle Ages by the rulers of Powys, Powys Wenwynwyn and later by their heirs the de la Pole (Powysian) dynasty. Modern use is rare
Or a Lion rampant Gules langued and armed Azure
c.1034 – c.1195
Banner of the princely House of Dinefwr and the Kingdom of Deheubarth, a realm which covered much of south Wales. The banner would have been used during the early Middle Ages and later by the Talbot dynasty who inherited the arms. Modern use is rare
Gules a Lion rampant Or, a border engrailed of the last
c.897 – 987
Banner of the personal arms of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd
Argent three Lions passant Gules
c.567 – c.897
Banner of Madog ap Gruffudd Maelor, and later the Banner of Powys Fadog
Argent a Lion rampant Sable langued and armed Gules. Often referred to as the Black Lion of Powys.
Battle flags[]
Flag
Date
Use
Description
c.1400 – c.1416
Banner known as Y Ddraig Aur or "The Golden Dragon" which has ancient origins. It was famously raised over Caernarfon during the Battle of Tuthill in 1401 by Owain Glyndŵr
Argent a dragon rampant Or
13th century
Banner known as Y Groes Nawdd or "The Cross of Neith" said to have been the battle flag of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (d. 1282)
Purpure a celtic cross Or
Regions, counties and cities[]
Traditional counties[]
Of the 13 historic counties, 7 have flags registered with the Flag Institute, with Brecknockshire, Cardiganshire (Ceredigion), Carmarthenshire, Denbighshire, Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire outstanding.
Azure a cross Or on an inescutcheon of five Vert a Tudor Rose quarterly counter-changed Argent and Gules.
Principal areas[]
See also: Local government in Wales
Flag
Date
Use
Description
1906
Flag of Cardiff
Argent on a Mount Vert a Dragon rampant Gules supporting in front of a Leek issuing from the Mount a Flag Staff erect proper flying therefrom to the sinister a Banner of the third charged with three Chevronels of the first.
Flag of Monmouthshire (principal area)
1929
Flag of Newport
Or, a chevron reversed Gules
1922
Flag of Swansea
Per Fess wavy Azure and barry wavy of six Argent, of the first a double-towered Castle or, in Chief on an Inescutcheon of the third a Lion passant guardant Gules.
Nationalist flags[]
Flag
Date
Use
Description
1960s
Welsh Republican Tricolour
A vertical tricolour of green, red and white with a black star representing those who have fallen for their country.
1950s-1960s
Flag of the Welsh Republican Movement
A vertical tricolour of green, red and white.
Since 1960s
Yr Eryr Wen – the White Eagle, used by radical nationalists. The eagle or Eryr is thought to refer to Owain Gwynedd who used an eagle for his coat of arms, and also Snowdonia (called Eryri in Welsh).
A stylised white eagle on a black background.
1970s
Y Ddraig Ddu or "The Black Dragon" used by the Cymru 1400 republican movement
The Red Dragon of Wales on a black field
1960s
Banner of the now defunct Meibion Glyndŵr militant pro-independence organisation
Banner of Owain Glyndŵr indented with the border of an eldest son
