We often get asked about special and respected days for when to fly the Union Flag. The short answer is that you can fly your Union Flag all year round without advertising consent (see previous blogs), however there are a number of dates whereby the Government will be flying the Union Flag so they are worth keeping in the diary if you change your Union Flag for other flags.

The remaining dates for 2018 are as follows:

• 21 April Birthday of Her Majesty the Queen
• 23 April St. George’s Day (in England only, see note 1)
• 9 May Europe Day
• 2 June Coronation Day
• 9 June Official celebration of Her Majesty’s birthday
• 10 June Birthday of the Duke of Edinburgh
• 21 June Birthday of the Duke of Cambridge
• 17 July Birthday of the Duchess of Cornwall
• 15 August Birthday of the Princess Royal
• 11 November Remembrance Day (second Sunday in November, see note 2)
• 14 November Birthday of the Prince of Wales
• 20 November Her Majesty’s Wedding Day
• 30 November St. Andrew’s Day (in Scotland only, see note 1)

Also:

• The day of the opening of a Session of the Houses of Parliament by Her Majesty (see note 3)
• The day of the prorogation of a Session of the Houses of Parliament by Her Majesty (see note 3)

Notes

1. Where a building has two or more flag poles the appropriate national flag may be flown in addition to the Union Flag but not in a superior position. UK government buildings within the wider Whitehall area may fly the national flags alongside the Union Flag on their appropriate Saint days.
2. Flags should be flown at full-mast all day.
3. Flags should be flown on this day even if Her Majesty does not perform the ceremony in person. Flags should only be flown in the Greater London area.
4. The Union Flag only should be flown.
5. Where a building has two or more flag poles, a Commonwealth Flag may be flown in addition to the Union on Commonwealth Day but not in a superior position.