Flag of Kent

{{Short description|Flag of English county}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}{{Use British English|date=July 2022}}

{{Infobox flag

| Name = Kent

| Article =

| Type =

| Image =FlagOfKent.svg

| Nickname = Invicta Flag

| Morenicks = Invicta Flag of Kent

| Use =

| Symbol =

| Proportion = 3:5

| Adoption = 1800s

| Design = Gules, a horse rampant argent

| Designer = Traditional

| Image2 = Flag of Kent.svg

| Use2 = Variant design

}}

The flag of Kent is the flag of the English county of Kent. It features the white horse of Kent on a red background, a theme used in several other Kent-related coats of arms and logos or symbols. It is sometimes referred to as the Invicta Flag or Invicta Flag of Kent, after the motto of Kent, Invicta.{{cite web|title=Kent Invicta Flag|url=http://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/flags/ken/|website=The Flag Institute|access-date=17 October 2015}}

The flag is an adaptation of what was thought to be the traditional arms of Kent as popularised by Richard Verstegen's 1605 work, A Restitution of Decayed Intelligence. These arms were attributed anachronistically to the Kingdom of Kent, but used by the Justices of Kent for many years.{{citationneeded|date=January 2024}} The design didn't catch on as a symbol of the modern county of Kent until the mid-18th century and didn't appear in flag form until the 19th century.{{cite book |last1=James |first1=Lloyd |title=The Saxon Steed and the White Horse of Kent |date=2017|url=https://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/arch-cant/vol/138/saxon-steed-and-white-horse-kent}} The arms were officially granted to Kent County Council on 17 October 1933 (and re-confirmed to its successor in 1975). The flag was accepted by the Flag Institute as that of the historic county on the basis of its traditional use.{{cite web|title=Kent Flag|url=https://britishcountyflags.wordpress.com/2013/08/03/kent-flag/|website=British County Flags|access-date=17 October 2015|quote=It is reported that a white horse was subsequently used by the Justices of Kent for many years, being generally regarded as the emblem of the former kingdom, turned county. Kent County Council, established in 1889, was formally awarded a grant of arms, bearing the white horse, on 17 October 1933}}