The Blue Ensign is a

British ensign 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 (the upper corner next to the staff), with eit ...

that may be used on vessels by certain authorised yacht clubs, Royal Research Ships and British merchant vessels whose master holds a commission in the

Royal Naval Reserve The Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) is one of the two volunteer reserve forces of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. Together with the Royal Marines Reserve, they form the Maritime Reserve. The present RNR was formed by merging the original ...

or has otherwise been issued a warrant. Defaced versions with a

badge A badge is a device or accessory, often containing the insignia of an organization, which is presented or displayed to indicate some feat of service, a special accomplishment, a symbol of authority granted by taking an oath (e.g., police and fir ...

or other

emblem An emblem is an abstract art, abstract or representational pictorial image that represents a concept, like a moral truth, or an allegory, or a person, like a monarch or saint. Emblems vs. symbols Although the words ''emblem'' and ''symbol'' ...

are used more broadly; in the United Kingdom by authorised government or private bodies; and internationally by nations or organisations previously a part of the

British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...

. The evolution of the Blue Ensign followed that of the

Union Jack 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. It is sometimes a ...

. The ensign originated in the 17th century with the

St George's Cross In heraldry, Saint George's Cross (or the Cross of Saint George) is a red cross on a white background, which from the Late Middle Ages became associated with Saint George, the military saint, often depicted as a crusader. Associated with ...

(the

Flag of England The flag of England is the national flag of England, a constituent country of the United Kingdom. It is derived from Saint George's Cross (heraldic blazon: ''Argent, a cross gules''). The association of the red cross as an emblem of England ...

) in the canton, and with a blue field. The

Acts of Union 1707 The Acts of Union refer to two acts of Parliament, one by the Parliament of Scotland in March 1707, followed shortly thereafter by an equivalent act of the Parliament of England. They put into effect the international Treaty of Union agree ...

united

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

(which included present day

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

) with

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

in the

Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain, also known as the Kingdom of Great Britain, was a sovereign state in Western Europe from 1707 to the end of 1800. The state was created by the 1706 Treaty of Union and ratified by the Acts of Union 1707, which united the Kingd ...

, thus producing a new Blue Ensign with the new Union Flag, containing a

saltire A saltire, also called Saint Andrew's Cross or the crux decussata, is a Heraldry, heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross. The word comes from the Middle French , Medieval Latin ("stirrup"). From its use as field sign, the saltire cam ...

, in the canton. With the

Act of Union 1800 The Acts of Union 1800 were parallel acts of the Parliament of Great Britain and the Parliament of Ireland which united the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland (previously in personal union) to create the United Kingdom of G ...

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

became a part of the new

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the union of the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland into one sovereign state, established by the Acts of Union 1800, Acts of Union in 1801. It continued in this form until ...

, and

St Patrick's Cross Saint Patrick's Saltire or Saint Patrick's Cross is a red saltire (X-shaped cross) on a white field. In heraldry, heraldic language, it may be blazoned ''argent, a saltire gules''. Saint Patrick's Flag () is a flag composed of Saint Patrick's S ...

was incorporated into the Union Flag and, accordingly, into the cantons of all British ensigns from 1 January 1801. File:Government Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg, The modern Blue Ensign of the United Kingdom File:British-Blue-Ensign-1707.svg, The British Blue Ensign (1707–1801) File:English Blue Ensign 1620.svg, English Blue Ensign as it appeared in the seventeenth century

Plain Blue Ensign

Prior to the reorganisation of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

in 1864, the plain blue ensign had been the ensign of one of three squadrons of the Royal Navy, the Blue Squadron. This changed in 1864, when an order in council provided that the

Red Ensign The Red Ensign or Red Duster is the civil ensign of the United Kingdom. It is one of the British ensigns, and it is used either plain or defacement (flag), defaced with either a Glossary of vexillology#Flag elements, badge or a Glossary of v ...

was allocated to merchantmen, the Blue Ensign was to be the flag of ships in public service or commanded by an officer in the

, and the White Ensign was allocated to the Navy. Thus, since 1864, the plain blue ensign (without any defacement or modification) is permitted to be worn, instead of the Red Ensign, by three categories of civilian vessel: # British merchant vessels whose officers and crew include a certain number of retired

personnel or Royal Naval Reservists, or are commanded by an officer of the

in possession of a Government warrant. The number and rank of such crew members required has varied over the years, as have the additional conditions required, since the system was first introduced in 1864. # Royal Research Ships by warrant whether crewed by former Royal Navy personnel or Merchant Navy personnel. # British-registered

yacht A yacht () is a sail- or marine propulsion, motor-propelled watercraft made for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a ...

s belonging to members of the following

yacht clubs A yacht club is a boat club specifically related to yachting. Description Yacht clubs are mostly located by the sea, although there some that have been established at a lake or riverside locations. Yacht or sailing clubs have either a marin ...

: * Hornet Services Sailing Club * Royal Naval Club and Royal Albert Yacht Club *

Royal Brighton Yacht Club The Royal Brighton Yacht Club (founded in 1875) is located at Brighton, Victoria, Australia at 253 Esplanade Brighton. History It is said to have all begun as a result of a chance race challenge between two gentlemen cleaning their boats on t ...

, Victoria *Royal British Virgin Islands Yacht Club * Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club * Royal Cruising Club * Royal Dorset Yacht Club * Royal Engineer Yacht Club * Royal Geelong Yacht Club, Victoria * Royal Gourock Yacht Club * Royal Highland Yacht Club * Royal Marines Sailing Club *

Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron is a yacht club located at St Kilda Beach, Victoria, St Kilda Beach in the suburb of St Kilda, Victoria, St. Kilda in Melbourne, Australia. The squadron was founded in 1876. It has occupied its grounds on Pier Roa ...

, Victoria * Royal Motor Yacht Club * Royal Naval Sailing Association * Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Yacht Club * Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron * Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron *

Royal Perth Yacht Club The Royal Perth Yacht Club (RPYC) is a yacht club in Perth, Western Australia. It is the third oldest yacht club in Australia after the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria and the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron.

, Western Australia * Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club *Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club, New Zealand * Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron *Royal Scottish Motor Yacht Club *Royal Solent Yacht Club *Royal South Australia Yacht Squadron * Royal Southern Yacht Club * Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, New South Wales *Royal Temple Yacht Club * Royal Thames Yacht Club *Royal Victorian Motor Yacht Club * Royal Welsh Yacht Club *Royal Western Yacht Club of England *Royal Western Yacht Club of Scotland * Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania * Royal Yacht Club of Victoria * Sussex Motor Yacht Club *The Cruising Association Permission for yachts to wear the blue ensign (and other special yachting ensigns) was suspended during both

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. In addition, prior to WWI, a number of ships (in particular, the and ) were listed as Royal Navy Reserve Merchant Vessels, receiving an annual subsidy from the navy and were permitted to fly the blue ensign.

Defaced Blue Ensign

Since 1864, the Blue Ensign is defaced with a badge or emblem, to form the ensign of United Kingdom government departments or public bodies. Current defaced Blue Ensigns (besides yacht clubs listed below) are:

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

marine vessels (such as seaplane tenders) flew a defaced blue ensign with an eagle and anchor. Yachting Blue Ensigns defaced by the badge of the club were recorded in the Navy List until 1985, and now they are administered by the Royal Yachting Association for the Ministry of Defence. Current defaced Blue Ensigns are:

Flags of the Crown Dependencies using defaced Blue Ensigns

* Government Ensign of Alderney * Government Ensign of Guernsey * Government Ensign of Jersey

Flags of British Overseas Territories using defaced Blue Ensigns

Current flags: * Flag of Anguilla *

Government Ensign of Bermuda (the flag commonly used on land is Bermuda's Red Ensign) * Flag of the British Virgin Islands *

Flag of the Cayman Islands The flag of the Cayman Islands consists of a Blue Ensign Defacement (flag), defaced with Coat of arms of the Cayman Islands, the British overseas territory's coat of arms. Adopted in 1959 to supplement the Union Jack and to replace the flag of ...

* Flag of the Falkland Islands *

Government Ensign of Gibraltar (there is another flag, not based on an ensign, that is commonly used on land) * Flag of Montserrat * Flag of the Pitcairn Islands * Flag of Saint Helena * Flag of the Turks and Caicos Islands Former flags: The defaced blue ensign was formerly used as:

National flags based on the Blue Ensign

These include: *

Flag of Australia The national flag of Australia is based on the British Blue Ensign—a blue field with the Union Jack in the upper hoist quarter—augmented with a large white seven-pointed star (the Commonwealth Star) and a representation of the Crux, Southe ...

** Flag of New South Wales ** Flag of Queensland ** Flag of South Australia ** Flag of Tasmania ** Flag of Victoria ** Flag of Western Australia *

Flag of Fiji The national flag of Fiji was adopted on 10 October 1970. The state arms have been slightly modified but the flag has remained the same as during Fiji's Colony of Fiji, colonial period. It is a Defacement (flag), defaced cyan "Blue Ensign" (the ...

(light blue) *

Flag of New Zealand The flag of New Zealand (), also known as the New Zealand Ensign, is based on the British maritime Blue Ensigna blue field with the Union Jack in the ''canton (flag), canton'' or upper hoist corneraugmented or ''Defacement (flag), defaced'' wit ...

** Flag of the Cook Islands * Flag of Tuvalu (light blue)

Other flags based on the Blue Ensign

* Flag of Ceylon * Ensign of The Royal Hospital School * George Rex Flag *

Tanganyika Territory Tanganyika was a colonial territory in East Africa which was administered by the United Kingdom in various forms from 1916 until 1961. It was initially administered under military occupation. From 20 July 1922, it was formalised into a League o ...

blue ensign * Government Ensign of Fiji

Fijian government ensign ** Customs Ensign of Fiji

Fijian customs ensign * Flag of Australasian team for Olympic games

Flag of Australasia team at the Olympic games * Flag of the Blood 148

Kainai Nation The Kainai Nation () (, or , romanized: ''Káínawa'', Blood Tribe) is a First Nations in Canada, First Nations band government in southern Alberta, Canada, with a population of 12,965 members in 2024, up from 11,791 in December 2013. tra ...

Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...

, Canada * Flag of Britain First Party

References

;Notes ;Footnotes

External links

Blue Ensign page on the "Flags of the World" website

UKNavalGovernment
on flags.net {{UKFlags Flags of the United Kingdom British Empire Flags that incorporate the Union Jack Flags with blue, red and white