The symbol of the British flag is the Union Jack, also known as the Union Flag.
The Union Jack is the national flag of the United Kingdom. It represents the union of the flags of three countries within the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, and Ireland (Northern Ireland).
Here's a breakdown of the flag's components:
- The Flag of England: Represented by the red cross of St. George.
- The Flag of Scotland: Represented by the white saltire (diagonal cross) of St. Andrew.
- The Flag of Ireland (Northern Ireland): Represented by the red saltire of St. Patrick.
The blue field in the flag represents the blue field found in both the Scottish and English flags. The white fimbriation (the white border around the red crosses) is present for heraldic reasons, to prevent the red crosses from directly touching the blue field. The flags are combined in a specific way to accurately depict the Act of Union. The saltire is not symmetrical and has specific orientation rules.
In short, the Union Jack is a powerful symbol representing the United Kingdom and its historical unification.