Nylon Great Britain Union Jack flag outdoor flag. This flag was used by Great Britain from the early 1600's until 1801 when the modern United Kingdom flag was introduced with an additional red cross of St. Patrick. A popular historical flag of the English Isles.
Choose from various sizes
Durable All-Weather Nylon fabric
Digitally printed, single-reverse with four rows reinforced stitching for durability
Most sizes feature canvas header & brass grommet attachment; 8x12' size uses reinforced header and roped thimble attachment
Made in USA
PLEASE NOTE: Sizes 4x6' and larger may require additional fulfillment times, please contact us if you have a specific delivery date to ensure we can accommodate
King's Colours Union Jack Flag — Historical Great Britain Flag
Before there was a United Kingdom, there was a Kingdom of Great Britain. This flag is its banner — the King's Colours, flown from the early 1600s until 1801, when Ireland's union with Great Britain added a third cross to the design and created the Union Jack we know today.
If you're researching colonial-era history, building a historically accurate display, or just want the flag that actually flew during that period, this is it — not the modern version with an extra stripe added two centuries later.
What Makes This Flag "Historical"
The King's Colours combines two crosses: the white-on-blue cross of St. Andrew (Scotland) and the red-on-white cross of St. George (England). These two kingdoms were formally united under one crown in 1603, and this flag became the shared symbol of that union.
It stayed this way for nearly two hundred years. Then, in 1801, the Act of Union brought Ireland into the fold, and a third element — the red diagonal cross of St. Patrick — was layered into the design. That addition is what created the modern Union Jack still flown today.
The simplest way to tell them apart: this flag has no red diagonal stripes crossing through the white Scottish saltire. If you're looking for the current UK flag with all three crosses, see our modern United Kingdom flag instead.
This version saw real use across more than two centuries of British history — through the era of colonial expansion in North America, the founding of the original thirteen colonies, and the years leading up to the American Revolution. It's the Union Jack that would have flown over British forts and ships during that period, which is why it shows up so often in colonial and Revolutionary War-era reenactment and historical display.
Specifications
This flag is built the same way as our other outdoor nylon flags — durable, digitally printed, and sized to fit standard flagpole hardware.
Sizes: 12×18" up through 8×12'
Fabric: Durable all-weather nylon
Print: Digitally printed, single-reverse - single layer of fabric with mirror image on back side of flag
Stitching: Four rows of reinforced stitching along the fly end for durability
Attachment: Canvas header with brass grommets on most sizes; the 8×12' size uses a reinforced header with roped thimble attachment to handle the larger flag's weight and wind load
Made in the USA
Ordering 4×6' or larger? These sizes may require additional fulfillment time. If you have a firm delivery date, contact us before ordering so we can confirm we can meet it.
Need a fully sewn version rather than digitally printed — true appliquéd stars and stitched stripes? We can produce this flag as a custom order. Contact us to discuss specs and pricing.
Want both the historical and current versions side by side? Our modern UK flag includes the full three-cross design adopted in 1801.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between this and the regular Union Jack?
This flag represents the Kingdom of Great Britain as it existed from the early 1600s until 1801 — it has the crosses of St. Andrew and St. George, but not the red diagonal cross of St. Patrick that was added in 1801 when Ireland joined the union. If you want the current UK flag with all three crosses, see our modern United Kingdom flag.
What size should I get?
It depends on your flagpole height and how the flag will be displayed. See our flag-to-flagpole size ratio guide for help matching the right flag size to your pole.
Why does the 8×12' size have different hardware?
At that size and weight, a roped thimble attachment holds up better under wind load than a standard grommet. Most other sizes use the canvas header and brass grommet setup.
How long does it take to receive larger sizes?
Sizes 4×6' and larger may require additional fulfillment time. If you have a specific delivery date in mind, contact us before ordering to confirm we can accommodate it.
Is this made in the USA?
Yes — this flag is made in the USA.
Can I get this as a fully sewn flag instead of printed?
Yes. This page covers our standard digitally printed version, but we can also produce a fully sewn version with appliquéd stars and stitched stripes as a custom order. Contact us to discuss specifications and pricing.
Have Questions?
Whether you're confirming historical accuracy for a display or just want help picking the right size, reach out to us and we'll help you get it right.
