This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(August 2010) |
Use | Other |
---|---|
Adopted | 11 October 1962 |
Relinquished | 26 September 2022 (paraded for the last time) |
Design | The escutcheon of the coat of arms of New Zealand in banner form, defaced with a blue roundel surrounded by a garland of roses encircling a crowned letter 'E' |
The Queen's Personal Flag for New Zealand was the personal flag of Elizabeth II in her role as Queen of New Zealand. It was approved for use in 1962, and was used by the Queen when she was in New Zealand. The monarch's Representative, the Governor-General of New Zealand, uses a separate flag.
On 11 October 1962, Queen Elizabeth II announced the adoption of a special personal flag for use on her tour of New Zealand between 6–18 February 1963 and subsequent royal visits.
The flag follows the same basic pattern used by the then Queen across several other realms since the 1960s: it is the escutcheon of a country's coat of arms (e.g. the arms of New Zealand) in banner form defaced with a device taken from her personal flag (a blue roundel surrounded by a garland of roses encircling a crowned letter 'E', all in gold).
The flag is divided into four quadrants: The first quadrant includes depicts four stars as representative of the Southern Cross constellation, as depicted on the national flag. The second quadrant consists of a golden fleece on a red field. The third quadrant contains a golden wheat sheaf on a red field. The final quadrant includes two crossed gold hammers on a blue field.
The central stripe consists of three ships. Superimposed in the centre is a dark blue roundel bearing a Roman E surmounted by a Royal Crown within a chaplet of roses, all gold-coloured, obscuring the centre ship.
The central blue disc is taken from the then Queen's Personal Flag, which was used by the Queen in relation to her role as Head of the Commonwealth.
The flag was flown on any building in which the Queen was in residence and by a ship transporting the Queen in New Zealand waters. It was also flown whilst the Queen was attending a state or public function, and it could be seen above the saluting base at military parades and open air gatherings when she was present. It was also broken when the Queen set foot on board one of Her Majesty's New Zealand Ships. When flown with the New Zealand Flag, the Queen's Personal Flag for New Zealand took the position of honour.
The only occasion on which the Queen's Personal Flag for New Zealand was flown in her absence was at parades in honour of her Official Birthday.
With the death of the Queen in 2022, the use of this flag ceased. [1] The flag was paraded for the last time at the State Memorial Service for the Queen of New Zealand at the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul on 26 September 2022. [2]
The flag is protected under the Flags, Emblems, and Names Protection Act 1981, Section 12(1) states:
Every person commits an offence against this Act who, without the authority of Her Majesty or (as the case may require) the Governor-General, displays or exhibits or otherwise uses any representation to which this subsection applies in such a manner as to be likely to cause any person to believe that he does so under the authority, sanction, approval, appointment, or patronage of Her Majesty or the Governor-General. [3]
According to Section 12(2)(c), this applies to, among others, "any representation of the Royal Standard, or the Sovereign's personal flag for New Zealand". [4]
During the coronation ceremony of the monarch at Westminster Abbey, the "standards" of various countries are carried by various officials in the procession inside the abbey. These flags are the country's coat of arms as a banner of arms. For New Zealand, unlike Canada and Australia, the banner remained the same for the King George V, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II in 1911, 1937, and 1953, respectively.[ citation needed ] The banner was in a 3:4 ratio and without defacement. [5] [6] The coronation of Charles III saw representatives from the Commonwealth realms carry their respective national flag instead of a banner of arms. [7]
The Union Jack or Union Flag is the de facto national flag of the United Kingdom. The Union Jack was also used as the official flag of several British colonies and dominions before they adopted their own national flags. The flag continues to have official status in Canada, by parliamentary resolution, where it is known as the Royal Union Flag. However, it is commonly referred to in Canada as the Union Jack.
The flag of Quebec, called the Fleurdelisé in French, represents the Canadian province of Quebec. It consists of a white cross on a blue background, with four white fleurs-de-lis.
The Red Ensign or "Red Duster" is the civil ensign of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is one of the British ensigns, and it is used either plain or defaced with either a badge or a charge, mostly in the right half.
In British maritime law and custom, an ensign is the identifying flag flown to designate a British ship, either military or civilian. Such flags display the United Kingdom Union Flag in the canton, with either a red, white or blue field, dependent on whether the vessel is civilian, naval, or in a special category. These are known as the red, white, and blue ensigns respectively.
The flag of New Zealand, also known as the New Zealand Ensign, is based on the British maritime Blue Ensign – a blue field with the Union Jack in the canton or upper hoist corner – augmented or defaced with four red stars centred within four white stars, representing the Southern Cross constellation.
The royal standard of the United Kingdom is the banner of arms of the monarch of the United Kingdom, currently Charles III. It consists of the monarch's coat of arms in flag form, and is made up of four quarters containing the arms of the former kingdoms of England, Ireland, and Scotland. There are two versions of the banner, one used in Scotland in which the Scottish quarters take precedence, and one used elsewhere in which the English quarters take precedence.
The Royal standards of Canada are a set of personal flags used by members of the Canadian royal family to denote the presence of the bearer within any vehicle, building, or area within Canada or when representing Canada abroad. All are based on a banner of the coat of arms of Canada, which are the arms of the Canadian monarch.
The coat of arms of New Zealand is the heraldic symbol representing the South Pacific island country of New Zealand. Its design reflects New Zealand's history as a bicultural nation, with a European female figure on one side and a Māori rangatira (chief) on the other. The symbols on the central shield represent New Zealand's trade, agriculture and industry, and a Crown represents New Zealand's status as a constitutional monarchy.
Elizabeth II was the only queen of the State of Malta, which existed from 1964 to 1974. The State of Malta was an independent sovereign state and a constitutional monarchy, which shared a monarch with other Commonwealth realms, including the United Kingdom. Elizabeth's constitutional roles in Malta were mostly delegated to a governor-general.
The island nation of Malta has a variety of national flags and symbols, some current and some no longer in use.
The flag of the governor-general of New Zealand is an official flag of New Zealand and is flown continuously on buildings and other locations when a governor-general is present. The flag in its present form was adopted in 2008 and is a blue field with the shield of the New Zealand coat of arms royally crowned. The official heraldic description is "A flag of a blue field thereon the Arms of New Zealand ensigned by the Royal Crown all proper".
The Queen's Personal Flag for Barbados was the personal standard of Elizabeth II, in her role as Queen of Barbados for use while in Barbados. It was first used when the Queen visited Barbados in 1975. The Queen's representative, the governor-general of Barbados, had their own standard. The flags of both the Queen and the governor-general were retired when Barbados ceased to be a Commonwealth realm; becoming a republic on 30 November 2021.
The flags of British India were varied, and the British Empire used several different banners during the period of its rule in the Indian subcontinent. Flags with the Star of India emblem in their design are often referred to as the Star of India flag, and were used to represent India itself and high offices in the government of India. The Viceroy's Union Flag banner, featuring the star emblem, was officially considered the "Flag of India," and the Red Ensign bearing the star was also used as an Indian flag, particularly at international events. The Royal Indian Navy also flew a blue jack flag bearing the Star of India. The East India Company, which ruled India prior to 1858, used a flag featuring the Union Jack with red and white stripes.
The King's Flag for Australia is the flag of Charles III in his role as King of Australia. It is used in a similar way as the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom, by signalling the monarch's presence within a building or vehicle in Australia.
Queen Elizabeth II had a variety of flags to represent her personally and as head of state of several independent nations around the world. They were usually used on any building, ship, car, or aircraft where she was present.
Elizabeth II was Queen of Mauritius as well as its head of state from 1968 to 1992 when Mauritius was an independent sovereign state and a constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth of Nations. She was also the monarch of other Commonwealth realms, including the United Kingdom. Her constitutional roles in Mauritius were delegated to a governor-general. Mauritius became a republic in 1992.
Elizabeth II was Queen of Trinidad and Tobago from the independence of Trinidad and Tobago on 31 August 1962 until the country became a republic on 1 August 1976. Her constitutional role as head of state was delegated to a governor-general, who acted on the advice of government ministers.
Elizabeth II was Queen of Sierra Leone from 1961 to 1971, when Sierra Leone was an independent constitutional monarchy. She was also the monarch of other Commonwealth realms, including the United Kingdom. Her constitutional roles in Sierra Leone were mostly delegated to the governor-general of Sierra Leone.
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