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 Canadian monarch's standard consists simply of the coat of arms in flag form. The standards belonging to Prince William, Prince of Wales; Princess Anne, Princess Royal; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; and Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, are differentiated by heraldic labels and roundels with personal identifiers within. One flag, with an ermine border, is for use by the remaining members of the royal family.
The first standard was created for Queen Elizabeth II in 1962. The current flag for the Canadian monarch was unveiled on 6 May 2023, the day of King Charles III's coronation. The flags are part of a larger collection of Canadian royal symbols. [1]
The sovereign's personal Canadian flag is a banner of arms of the Royal Coat of Arms of Canada, that is the coat of arms in flag form. The flag has a 1:2 proportion and consists of the escutcheon of the coat of arms, namely the quartered arms of the kingdoms of England, Scotland, Ireland, and France above three maple leaves on a silver background. The official blazon is: [2]
Tierced in fess the first and second divisions containing the quarterly coat following, namely, 1st, gules three lions passant guardant in pale Or, 2nd, Or a lion rampant within a double tressure flory-counter-flory gules, 3rd, azure a harp Or stringed argent, 4th, azure, three fleurs-de-lis Or, and the third division argent three maple leaves conjoined on one stem proper.
The standard was created by the Canadian Heraldic Authority in 2023 for Charles III in his capacity as King of Canada and was unveiled on his coronation day, 6 May 2023. [3] It does not include his personal cypher, as the flag of Queen Elizabeth II did, and it is intended that the banner will be used by all future monarchs of Canada. [3] The standard is protected under the Trade-marks Act. [4]
There are five variants of the sovereign's standard, one each for the Prince of Wales (at present, Prince William); Princess Anne, Princess Royal; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh; and one used by any member of the royal family who does not have a personal Canadian flag. [5] The flags were all created by the Canadian Heraldic Authority.
The four personal flags follow a standard pattern, consisting of a banner of arms of the Royal Coat of Arms of Canada in 1:2 proportion, differenced by a silver heraldic label and, in the centre, a blue roundel (or hurt) with a border of 24 gold maple leaves. The roundel on the Prince of Wales's standard contains the Prince of Wales's Feathers and his label is plain. [6] The roundels of the other three personal flags contain the bearer's cypher—the initial of their first name surmounted by a coronet of the child of the monarch. On the labels, all taken from the holder's personal coats of arms, Anne's has a red heart on the centre point and red crosses on the outer points, Andrew's has a blue anchor on the centre point, and Edward's has a Tudor rose on the centre point. [10] The flag for use by other members of the royal family consists of the banner of arms with an ermine border. [5]
Prior to the adoption of the Canadian royal standards, members of the royal family who toured Canada used the royal standard they employed when in the United Kingdom; although, for the 1860 tour undertaken in 1860 by Prince Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII), he used the banner of his mother, Queen Victoria. [11] after 1931, each of those standards took on a dual role of representing a member of either the British or the Canadian royal family, depending on the context.
The King's personal Canadian flag is employed only when the King is in Canada or is attending an event abroad as the Canadian head of state; for example, the flag will be unfurled at Juno Beach in France when the King is present there for commemorations of the Normandy Landings. The flag must be broken immediately upon the sovereign's arrival and fly day and night [12] until lowered directly after the King's departure from any building, ship, aircraft (not in the air), or other space or vehicle, [13] [14] As the monarch is the personification of the Canadian state, his banner also takes precedence above all other flags in Canada, including the national flag and those of the other members of the Canadian royal family. [12] [13]
No other person may use the flag; the King's federal representative, the governor general, possesses a unique personal flag, as does each of the monarch's provincial viceroys. Flags are kept at the King's Ottawa residence, Rideau Hall, and supplied to Department of Canadian Heritage royal visit staff by the household staff prior to the King's arrival. [13]
Protocol is sometimes, though rarely, officially broken. On 9 August 1902, the day of the coronation of King Edward VII, the monarch's royal standard (then the same in Canada as in the United Kingdom) was raised on a temporary flag pole at His Majesty's Dockyard in Halifax, Nova Scotia. [11] Similarly, for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953, the sovereign's royal standard was broken atop the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. [11] Sixty years later, on 6 February 2012, the Queen's personal standard for Canada was unfurled at Rideau Hall and Parliament Hill, as well as at other legislatures across the country to mark the monarch's diamond anniversary of her accession to the throne; [15] permission to do so was granted by the Queen. [16]
When Police Service Horse Burmese was presented to Queen Elizabeth II by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on 28 April 1969, she requested that Burmese perform in the Royal Windsor Horse Show and have the rider carry the Queen's royal standard on the lance, instead of the usual red and white pennon, thus allowing Elizabeth to easily follow Burmese's performance. [17]
Elizabeth II was the first to use a standard for her role as Queen of Canada. Adopted in 1962, it had a 1:2 proportion and consisted of the banner of arms with the Queen's personal device in the centre—a blue roundel with a border of gold roses, containing within it a capital E surmounted by a crown. [18] It was added to the Canadian Heraldic Authority's Public Register of Arms, Flags, and Badges on 15 March 2005. [18] Nathan Tidridge argued the introduction of this standard set red and white as the national colours of Canada. [19] However, there is debate over whether the proclamation of the coat of arms in 1921 determined Canada's national colours. [20]
The next two personal flags were created for Charles, then-Prince of Wales, and William, then-Duke of Cambridge, and were revealed on 29 June 2011. [21] [22] William's flag consisted of the banner of arms with, in the centre, a blue roundel with a border of 12 gold maple leaves alternating with 12 gold scallops and, within this, his cypher—a W surmounted by a coronet of a child of the heir apparent. The label had a red scallop on the centre point. [23] It was first flown from the Canadian Forces airplane that carried him and his wife, Catherine, to Canada in 2011. [24]
Charles's flag, which is now used by William as Prince of Wales, was first flown from the Royal Canadian Air Force airplane that carried him and his wife, Camilla, to Canada for a royal tour marking the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. [25] The creation of the flags made Canada the second Commonwealth realm, after the United Kingdom, to adopt unique flags for members of the royal family. [26] The ermine variant was registered on 15 January 2015.
The Princess Royal's banner was first used during her October 2013 visits to CFB Borden and CFB Kingston. Prince Edward's flag was first used on 12 September 2014, during a visit to Government House, British Columbia, with his wife Sophie, as part of a royal tour.
Sean Palmer asserted in the 2018 book, The Canadian Kingdom: 150 Years of Constitutional Monarchy, that, by way of creating the uniquely Canadian standards for members of the royal family other than the monarch, Canada took "'ownership', not only of the Queen of Canada, but, of the other members of her family as well", and that doing so was another formal affirmation of the concept of a Canadian royal family "as distinct as the Queen of Canada is from the Queen of the United Kingdom". [27] Jai Patel and Sally Raudon also noted the following year that the purpose of these heraldic banners was to recognize the owners' roles as members of the Canadian royal family. [26]
During the coronations of some monarchs at Westminster Abbey, the standards of various countries were carried by officials in the procession inside the abbey. These flags were the countries' coats of arms as banners of arms. Such flags for Canada were used thrice: at the coronations of King George V, King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth II in 1911, 1937, and 1953, respectively. A banner quartered with the arms of the first four Canadian provinces was used in 1911, [28] [29] while the banner of the Canadian coat of arms, as devised in 1921, was used in 1937 and 1953. [30] The banner was in a 3:4 ratio and without defacement.
The monarchy of Canada is Canada's form of government embodied by the Canadian sovereign and head of state. It is one of the key components of Canadian sovereignty and sits at the core of Canada's constitutional federal structure and Westminster-style parliamentary democracy. The monarchy is the foundation of the executive (King-in-Council), legislative (King-in-Parliament), and judicial (King-on-the-Bench) branches of both federal and provincial jurisdictions. The current monarch is King Charles III, who has reigned since 8 September 2022.
The coat of arms of Canada, also known as the Royal Coat of Arms of Canada or, formally, as the Arms of His Majesty The King in Right of Canada, is the arms of dominion of the Canadian monarch and, thus, also the official coat of arms of Canada. In use since 1921, it is closely modelled after the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom, with French and distinctive Canadian elements replacing or added to those derived from the British version.
The coat of arms of the United Kingdom are the arms of dominion of the British monarch. They are both the personal arms of the monarch, currently King Charles III, and the arms of the state. In addition to the monarch, the arms are used by state institutions including the Government of the United Kingdom, the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and the British judiciary. Differenced versions of the arms are used by members of the British royal family. The monarch's official flag, the Royal Standard, is the coat of arms in flag form.
The royal standards of the United Kingdom presently refer to either of two similar flags used by King Charles III in his capacity as sovereign of the United Kingdom, the Crown dependencies, and the British Overseas Territories. Two versions of the flag exist, one for use within Scotland and the other for use elsewhere.
The coat of arms of England is the coat of arms historically used as arms of dominion by the monarchs of the Kingdom of England, and now used to symbolise England generally. The arms were adopted c.1200 by the Plantagenet kings and continued to be used by successive English and British monarchs; they are currently quartered with the arms of Scotland and Ireland in the coat of arms of the United Kingdom. Historically they were also quartered with the arms of France, representing the English claim to the French throne, and Hanover.
The Royal Banner of the Royal Arms of Scotland, also known as the Royal Banner of Scotland, or more commonly the Lion Rampant of Scotland, and historically as the Royal Standard of Scotland, or Banner of the King of Scots, is the royal banner of Scotland, and historically, the royal standard of the Kingdom of Scotland. Used historically by the Scottish monarchs, the banner differs from Scotland's national flag, the Saltire, in that its official use is restricted by an Act of the Parliament of Scotland to only a few Great Officers of State who officially represent the Monarchy in Scotland. It is also used in an official capacity at royal residences in Scotland when the Head of State is not present.
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 Queen's Personal Australian Flag was the flag of Elizabeth II in her role as Queen of Australia. It was used in a similar way as the Royal Standard in the UK, by signalling the monarch's presence within a building or vehicle in Australia.
Canadian royal symbols are the visual and auditory identifiers of the Canadian monarchy, including the viceroys, in the country's federal and provincial jurisdictions. These may specifically distinguish organizations that derive their authority from the Crown, establishments with royal associations, or merely be ways of expressing loyal or patriotic sentiment.
The history of monarchy in Canada stretches from pre-colonial times through to the present day. The date monarchy was established in Canada varies; some sources say it was when the French colony of New France was founded in the name of King Francis I in 1534, while others state it was in 1497, when John Cabot made landfall in what is thought to be modern day Newfoundland or Nova Scotia, making a claim in the name of King Henry VII. Europeans in the 16th and 17th centuries often considered the territories belonging to different aboriginal groups to be kingdoms. Nevertheless, the present Canadian monarchy can trace itself back to the Anglo-Saxon period and ultimately to the kings of the Angles and the early Scottish kings; monarchs reigning over Canada have included those of France, those of the United Kingdom, and those of Canada. Canadian historian Father Jacques Monet said of Canada's Crown, "[it is] one of an approximate half-dozen that have survived through uninterrupted inheritance from beginnings that are older than our Canadian institution itself."
In modern heraldry, a royal cypher is a monogram or monogram-like device of a country's reigning sovereign, typically consisting of the initials of the monarch's name and title, sometimes interwoven and often surmounted by a crown. Such a cypher as used by an emperor or empress is called an imperial cypher. In the system used by various Commonwealth realms, the title is abbreviated as 'R' for 'rex' or 'regina'. Previously, 'I' stood for 'imperator' or 'imperatrix' of the Indian Empire.
The Royal Standard of Spain is the official flag of the King of Spain. It comprises a crimson square, traditional colour of both Castilian and Spanish monarchs, with the coat of arms of the King in the center. It is raised over the official royal residence in Madrid, the Palacio de la Zarzuela and other Spanish royal sites, when the monarch is in residence and displayed on his official car as small flag. The current flag was adopted when Felipe VI acceded the throne as King of Spain on 19 June 2014. The Royal Standard is regulated by Rule 2 of Royal Decree 527/2014, 20 June, an amendment to Title II of Spanish Royal Decree 1511/1977 adopting Flags, Standards, Guidons, Insignia and Emblems Regulation.
The Queen's Personal New Zealand Flag was the personal flag of Queen 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 Queen's Representative, the Governor-General of New Zealand, used a separate flag.
By the arrangements of the Canadian federation, the Canadian monarchy operates in Newfoundland and Labrador as the core of the province's Westminster-style parliamentary democracy. As such, the Crown within Newfoundland and Labrador's jurisdiction is referred to as the Crown in Right of Newfoundland and Labrador, His Majesty in Right of Newfoundland and Labrador, or the King in Right of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Constitution Act, 1867, however, leaves many royal duties in the province specifically assigned to the sovereign's viceroy, the lieutenant governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, whose direct participation in governance is limited by the conventional stipulations of constitutional monarchy.
By the arrangements of the Canadian federation, Canada's monarchy operates in British Columbia as the core of the province's Westminster-style parliamentary democracy. As such, the Crown within British Columbia's jurisdiction is referred to as the Crown in Right of British Columbia, His Majesty in Right of British Columbia, or the King in Right of British Columbia. The Constitution Act, 1867, however, leaves many royal duties in British Columbia specifically assigned to the sovereign's viceroy, the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, whose direct participation in governance is limited by the conventional stipulations of constitutional monarchy.
The relationship between the Canadian Crown and the Canadian Armed Forces is both constitutional and ceremonial, with the king of Canada being the commander-in-chief of the Canadian Forces and he and other members of the Canadian royal family holding honorary positions in various branches and regiments, embodying the historical relationship of the Crown with its armed forces. This construct stems from Canada's system of constitutional monarchy and through its 500 years of monarchical history, the relationship symbolically represented through royal symbols, such as crowns on military badges and insignia, coats of arms, royal portraits, and the grant of the royal prefix to various military units and institutions. The role of the Canadian sovereign within the Canadian Armed Forces is established within the Canadian constitution, the National Defence Act, and the King's Regulations and Orders (KR&Os) for the Canadian Forces.
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.
Since 1786, members of the Canadian royal family have visited Canada, either as an official tour, a working tour, a vacation, or a period of military service. The first member to visit was the future King William IV in 1786. In 1939, King George VI became the first reigning monarch to tour the country.
The standard of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was the personal flag used by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. It displays his coat of arms and can thus be considered a banner of arms.
King Charles III has and has had a variety of flags to represent him as a prince, duke, and, eventually, head of state of two of his 15 realms; in the latter case, the heraldic flags are the nation's coat of arms in banner form. The flags are usually used on any building, ship, car, or aircraft where Charles is present.
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