Jump to content

List of national symbols of the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Monarch is the living embodiment of the United Kingdom.

Symbols of the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man is a list of the national symbols of the United Kingdom, its constituent countries (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), and the Crown Dependencies (the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man). Each separate entry has its own set of unique symbols.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

[edit]
Name and flag National Personification National Animals Coat of Arms Motto Anthem
United Kingdom
Flag of the United Kingdom
(Union Flag)
Flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Britannia
National Personification: Britannia
Lion
National Animal: Lion
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
Coat of Arms: 1st and 4th Quarters: A Red Lion on a Yellow Field, surrounded by a red double royal tressure flory counter-flory device, representing Scotland; 2nd Quarter: 3 Gold Lions on a Red Field, representing England; 3rd Quarter: Gold Harp on a Dark Blue Field, representing Northern Ireland

Coat of Arms (for use in Scotland): 1st and 4th Quarters: 3 Gold Lions on a Red Field, representing England; 2nd Quarter: A Red Lion on a Yellow Field, surrounded by a red double royal tressure flory counter-flory device, representing Scotland; 3rd Quarter: Gold Harp on a Dark Blue Field, representing Northern Ireland
(as used in Scotland)
"God Save the King"

Note: "King" is replaced with "Queen" in the lyrics whenever the monarch is female.

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

[edit]
Name and flag Patron Saint National Flower(s) National Animal(s) Coat of Arms Motto Anthem
England
Saint George's Cross
Flag of England
St. George[1]
Patron Saint: St. George
Tudor Rose[2]
National Flower: Tudor Rose
"Lion"
Royal arms of England
Coat of Arms: 3 Gold Lions on a Red Field
Dieu et mon droit
(French)
"God and my right"

"Jerusalem" (Unofficial but widely regarded)
(de facto)
See also Proposed national anthems of England.

Scotland
Cross of Saint Andrew
Flag of Scotland
St. Andrew[3]
Patron Saint: St. Andrew
Thistle[2]
National Flower: Thistle
"Unicorn" Royal arms of Scotland
Coat of Arms: A Red Lion on a Yellow Field, surrounded by a red double royal tressure flory counter-flory device
In Defens
(Scots)
"In Defence"
"Flower of Scotland"
(de facto)
See also Proposed national anthems of Scotland.
Wales
The Red Dragon
Flag of Wales
St. David[4]
Patron Saint: St. David
Leek[2]
National Flower: Leek

or

Daffodil[2]
National Flower: Daffodil
"Red Dragon" Royal Badge of Wales
Coat of Arms: A Red Dragon on a Green and White Field
Cymru am byth
(Welsh)
"Wales forever"
"Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau"
(Welsh)
"Land of my Fathers"
Northern Ireland
None
formerly the Ulster Banner (1953–1973)[Note 1]
The Ulster banner, unofficial flag of Northern Ireland
St. Patrick[2]
Patron Saint: St. Patrick
Flax Flower[7]
National Flower: Flax

or

Shamrock[2]
National Flower: Shamrock
Irish elk
(giant deer)
[8][9]
Irish elk
None
Former coat of arms of Northern Ireland:
Coat of Arms: St. George's Cross, with the Imperial Crown on top of the Red Hand of Ulster, in the centre
Quis separabit?
(Latin)
"Who will separate us?"
(de facto)
"Londonderry Air"
(de facto)
  1. ^ There has been no official national flag of Northern Ireland[5] since 1973. However, the shown Ulster banner, official flag of the Government of Northern Ireland between 1953–1973, has since been the de facto flag of Northern Ireland, and continued to be used by international sporting organisations.[6] See Northern Ireland flags issue for more information.

Crown Dependencies

[edit]

Channel Islands

[edit]

Bailiwick of Jersey

[edit]
Name and flag Patron Saint Traditional Animal Nickname Coat of Arms Anthem
Jersey
Flag of Jersey
Flag of Jersey
St. Helier
Patron Saint: St. Helier
Crapauds/Jersey Cow
Traditional Animal Nickname: Toad/Crapauds
Coat of arms of Jersey
Coat of Arms: 3 Gold Lions on a Red Field
"Island Home"

Bailiwick of Guernsey

[edit]
Name and flag Patron Saint National Flower Traditional Animal Nickname Coat of Arms Anthem
Guernsey
Flag of Guernsey
Flag of Guernsey
St. Samson of Dol[10]
Guernsey Lily
Les ânes
Traditional Animal Nickname: Donkeys/les ânes
Coat of arms of Guernsey
Coat of Arms: 3 Gold Lions on a Red Field, surmounted by a small branch of leaves
"Sarnia Cherie"
Sark
Flag of Sark
Flag of Sark
St. Magloire
Corbins
Traditional Animal Nickname: Crows/Corbins
Coat of arms of Sark
Coat of Arms: 2 Gold Lions on a Red Field
"Sarnia Cherie"
(Guernsey)
Alderney
Flag of Alderney
Flag of Alderney
St. Anne
Lapins
Traditional Animal Nickname: Rabbits/Lapins
Coat of arms of Alderney
Coat-of-Arms
"Sarnia Cherie"
(Guernsey)
Herm
Flag of Herm
Flag of Herm
St. Tugual
Coat of arms of Herm
Coat of Arms: A Yellow diagonal Stripe containing 3 Monks, on top of a Blue Field, with 2 Silver Dolphins in the bottom-left and top-right hand corners
"Sarnia Cherie"
(Guernsey)

Isle of Man

[edit]
Name and flag Patron Saint National Flower(s) Coat of Arms Motto Anthem
Isle of Man
Flag of the Isle of Man
Flag of the Isle of Man
St. Maughold
Saint Maughold in stained glass, Jurby
Cushag (popularly)

or Fuchsia[11]
Coat of arms of the Isle of Man
Coat of Arms: A Triskelion (3 bent legs) on a Red Field
Quocunque Jeceris Stabit
(Latin)
"O Land of Our Birth"

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "St George: England". BBC News. 1 March 2005.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "National Emblems of Britain". woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk. Archived from the original on 8 April 2008. Retrieved 18 April 2008.
  3. ^ "St Andrew: Scotland". BBC News. 1 March 2005.
  4. ^ "St David: Wales". BBC News. 1 March 2005.
  5. ^ "Northern Ireland flag". BBC. 28 September 2010.
  6. ^ FIFA.com. "Member Association - Northern Ireland". www.fifa.com. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019.
  7. ^ United Kingdom One Pound Coin Design Archived 30 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Minahan, James B. (23 December 2009). The Complete Guide to National Symbols and Emblems [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9780313344978 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ "British National Symbols". Sir Gordon Bennett.
  10. ^ Marr, James (2001). History of Guernsey: The Bailiwick's Story (Second ed.). St Peter Port, Guernsey: Guernsey Press Ltd. ISBN 0953916618.
  11. ^ "Plantlife county flowers results". Archived from the original on 6 January 2009.