Which Flags Are in the Union Jack

The Union Jack, the national flag of the United Kingdom, combines three distinct crosses representing the historic kingdoms that formed the union. These are the red St George’s Cross of England, the white St Andrew’s Cross (saltire) of Scotland, and the red St Patrick’s Cross of Ireland. When flown in the proper orientation, the thick white diagonal of St Andrew sits above and left of the red St Patrick’s Cross, with the red St George’s Cross outlining the white diagonal of St Andrew in the canton. This explainer details each flag, its history, and how they are arranged in the current Union Jack.