Flag of Wales

{{See also|Welsh Dragon}}

File:Vortigern-Dragons.jpg and the red and white dragons.]]

In the Historia Brittonum, there is a narrative in which Vortigern ({{Langx|cy|Gwrtheyrn}}), King of the Celtic Britons from Powys is interrupted whilst attempting to build a fort at Dinas Emrys. He is told by Merlin/Ambrosius ({{Langx|cy|Myrddin}}) to dig up two dragons beneath the castle. He discovers a red dragon representing the Celtic Britons (now Welsh) and a white dragon representing the Anglo-Saxons (now English). Merlin/Ambrosius prophesies that the Celtic Britons will reclaim the island and push the Anglo-Saxons back to the sea.{{Cite DWB|id=s-GWRT-HEY-0400|last=Williams|first=Ifor|year=1959|title=Gwrtheyrn (Vortigern)}}{{Cite web |title=Red Dragon of Wales |url=https://www.maryjones.us/jce/reddragon.html |access-date=2022-08-12 |website=www.maryjones.us}}

The Historia Brittonum was written {{Circa|828}}, and by this point, the dragon was associated with a coming deliverer from the Saxons and, for the first time, as a symbol of independence. It is also the first time that the colour of the dragon is verifiably given as red. There may well be an older attribution of red to the colour of the dragon in Y Gododdin.{{Cite book |first=Carl |last=Lofmark |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/1302083973 |title=A history of the red dragon |date=1995 |publisher=Gwasg Carreg Gwalch |oclc=1302083973}} The story of Lludd a Llefelys in the Mabinogion wrote that the red dragon of the Celtic Britons was in opposition with the white dragon of the Saxons.Historia Brittonum, ch. 40–42.

The dragon of Wales was used by numerous Welsh rulers as a propaganda tool; to portray their links to the Arthurian legend, the title given to such rulers is Y Mab Darogan (The prophesied Son).{{Cite web |title=Has Wales turned on Mark Drakeford over Covid? | the Spectator |date=11 December 2020 |url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/has-wales-turned-on-mark-drakeford-over-covid-}} The Welsh term {{langx|cy|draig|lit=dragon|label=none}} was used to refer to Welsh leaders including Owain Gwynedd,{{Cite book |last=Llywelyn |first=Llywarch ap |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z7HfAQAACAAJ |title=Gwaith Llywarch ap Llywelyn |date=1991 |publisher=Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru |isbn=978-0-7083-1084-7 |language=cy}} Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (Llywelyn the Last){{Cite book |last=Stephens |first=Thomas II |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YqVSAAAAcAAJ&dq=llywelyn+dragon&pg=PA381 |title=The Literature of the Kymry Beeing a Critical Essay on the History of the Language and Literature of Wales During the 12. and Two Succeeding Centuries (etc.) |date=1849 |publisher=William Rees and Longman |pages=381 |language=en}} and "the dragon" Owain Glyndŵr.{{Cite book |last=Hemans |first=Mrs |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sDARAAAAYAAJ&dq=glyndwr+dragon+crown&pg=PA246 |title=The Poetical Works of Felicia Hemans: With Memoir, Explanatory Notes, Etc |date=1881 |publisher=J. Wurtele Lovell |pages=246 |language=en}} Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr, a court poet to Owain Gwynedd refers to him in one elegy, personifying him as "The golden dragon of Snowdonia of eagles".{{Cite book |last=Owen |first=Robert |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dzcLAAAAYAAJ&dq=welsh+gold+dragon&pg=PA70 |title=The Kymry: Their Origin, History, and International Relations |date=1891 |publisher=W. Spurrell and Son |language=en}}

Henry VII recognised the red dragon upon its blessing at Saint Paul's Cathedral following his victory at Bosworth Field under the realm of 'England and Wales' in 1485; the United Kingdom would not recognise the flag's official status again until 1959,{{Cite web|url=https://www.visitwales.com/info/history-heritage-and-traditions/dragon-spirit-legend-welsh-dragon|title = Dragon spirit: The legend of the Welsh dragon| date=5 July 2023 }} despite the dragon being used by Romanised Celtic Britons since at least the fall of the Roman empire in the 6th century AD.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-47389680|title = Wales history: Why is the red dragon on the Welsh flag?|work = BBC News|date = 6 July 2019}}

{{See also|Welsh Dragon}}

File:Banner of Llywelyn (Square).svg (Llywelyn the Last)]]

The Senior line of the House of Aberffraw descended from Prince Llywelyn the Great in patriline succession and became extinct on the death of Owain Lawgoch in 1378.{{cite book |last1=Davies |first1=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ogTq2KRuu9IC&dq=House+of+Aberffraw+extinct&pg=PT337 |title=A History of Wales |date=2007 |publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=978-0-14-192633-9 |language=en |quote=The plot was carried out (by a Scot) in 1378, and Saint Leger on the banks of the Garonne (opposite Chateau Calon Segur - not a Welsh name, alas) became the burial place of the last of the senior male line of the house of Aberffraw. Following the extinction of that line,... |access-date=23 December 2019}}

File:Glyndwr's Banner.svg

File:Y Draig Aur Owain Glyndŵr.jpg

In 1400, {{lang|cy|Owain Glyndŵr|italic=no}} raised the dragon standard during his revolts against the occupation of Wales by the English crown. {{lang|cy|Owain|italic=no}}'s banner known as {{lang|cy|Y Ddraig Aur}} ('The Golden Dragon') was raised over {{lang|cy|Caernarfon|italic=no}} during the Battle of Tuthill in 1401 against the English. {{lang|cy|Glyndŵr|italic=no}} chose to fly the standard of a golden dragon on a white background, the traditional standard.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8ipmBAAAQBAJ |title=Lost Battlefields of Wales |first=Martin |last=Hackett |date=30 July 2014 |publisher=Amberley Publishing Limited |isbn=9781445637037 }}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_p5DgK5GCGMC |title=A History of Wales |first=John |last=Davies |date=25 January 2007 |publisher=Penguin Adult |isbn=9780140284751 }}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8XGoAwAAQBAJ |title=Owain Glyndŵr: The Story of the Last Prince of Wales |first=Terry |last=Breverton |date=15 May 2009 |publisher=Amberley Publishing Limited |isbn=9781445608761 }}

File:ArbfaisTuduriaid.jpg]]

In 1485, Henry Tudor flew the red dragon during his invasion of England.[http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/history/sites/themes/society/flag_war.shtml The dragon and war] BBC Wales history Henry was of Welsh descent and after leaving France with an army of 2,000, landed at Milford Haven on 7 August. He made capital of his Welsh ancestry by gathering support and gaining safe passage through Wales. Henry met and fought Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field, and took the English throne in victory. After the battle, Henry carried the red dragon standard in state to St Paul's Cathedral.{{cite book |last=Perrin |first=W.G. |title=British Flags|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.169115 |year=1922 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge }}{{Citation page|page=52}} The Tudor livery of green and white was added to the flag later.{{Citation page|page=63}}

In 1807, the red dragon on a green mount was adopted as the Royal Badge of Wales. On 11 March 1953, the motto {{lang|cy|Y Ddraig goch ddyry cychwyn}} ('The red dragon gives impetus' or 'The red dragon leads the way') was added, a line from the poem by {{lang|cy|Deio ab Ieuan Du|italic=no}}.[https://www.fotw.info/flags/gb-wales.html Origin of Y Ddraig Goch] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611213215/https://www.fotw.info/flags/gb-wales.html |date=11 June 2010 }} Flags of the World The badge was the basis of a flag of Wales{{cite web |url=http://flagspot.net/flags/gb-wa-hs.html |title=Wales: History of Welsh Flags |work=Flags of the World }} in which it was placed on a horizontal white and green bicolour. However, the flag was the subject of derision, both because the tail pointed downwards in some iterations{{cite web |last1=Raeside |first1=Rob |title=Origin of Y Ddraig Goch |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/Flags/gb-wales.html |website=Flags of the World |access-date=24 October 2018}} and because the motto was a potential double entendre, used in the original poem to allude to the penis of a copulating bull.{{cite book |last1=Eriksen |first1=Thomas |last2=Jenkins |first2=Richard |title=Flag, nation and symbolism in Europe and America |date=2007 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=9780415444040 |page=80 |edition=1. publ.}}{{cite journal |last1=Black |first1=Ronald |title=Studies in honour of James Carney (1914–89) |journal=Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies |date=1992 |issue=23 |page=109 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yVopAQAAMAAJ&q=%22referring+to+the+bull+covering%22 }} In 1959, government use of this flag was dropped in favour of the current flagBarraclough, EMC. Flags of the World, 1965.{{cite web |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1959/feb/23/welsh-flag#S5CV0600P0-04661 |date=23 February 1959 |title=Welsh Flag (Hansard, 23 February 1959) |work=Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) }} at the urging of the Gorsedd.[http://www.lgbtcymruhelpline.org.uk/8welshflag.htm Lofmark, C. A History of the Red Dragon] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907195629/http://www.lgbtcymruhelpline.org.uk/8welshflag.htm |date=7 September 2008 }} Today the flag can be seen flying from the {{lang|cy|Senedd|italic=no}} in Cardiff and from Welsh Government buildings, as well as UK Government buildings in Wales.

Between 1910 and 1916, Caernarfon town council continuously appealed to have the Welsh flag hoisted on top of Caernarfon castle's Eagle tower to replace that of the Union Jack. In April 1916, the mayor at the time, Charles A. Jones (who was also the deputy constable of the castle){{Cite web |date= |title=Caernarvon & Denbigh Herald, Friday 20 October 1916 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002967/19161020/096/0006 |access-date=2024-10-02}} said the reasoning behind rejecting the Welsh dragon was that "the authorities were advised that there was no such thing as a Welsh flag.. it was only a badge".{{Cite web |title=Western Mail, Friday 07 April 1916 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000104/19160407/130/0004 |access-date=2024-10-02}}{{Cite web |title=Liverpool Echo, Thursday 09 April 1914 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000271/19140409/144/0008 |access-date=2024-10-02}}

In 1932, the 'Welsh Nationalist Party' (who would later be rebranded as Plaid Cymru) appealed to the Office of Works to replace the Union flag with that of the Welsh flag on Caernarfon castle's Eagle tower on St David's Day. The office ignored them; as a consequence, on March 1, a group of Welsh patriots climbed the towers and hauled the Union flag down from the Eagle tower and the eastern tower and replaced it with the Welsh flag. The castle's officials promptly took the Welsh flags down and restored the Union flags. Later in the afternoon, the Union flag was again hauled down from the Eagle tower and taken to the castle square where it was torn to pieces by some 30 or 40 students. The students passed through the turnstiles of the castle as ordinary visitors, climbed the stone steps to the Eagle Tower, and carried away the Union Jack, which had previously been removed during the morning. Several ex-servicemen looked on with evident displeasure at the treatment of the Union Flag and at one point it was likely that a conflict would ensue between the two sections.{{Cite web |title=Western Morning News, Wednesday 02 March 1932 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000329/19320302/071/0007 |access-date=2024-10-02}}

File:Captain Scott’s Welsh Flag.png|Variant flag of Wales used during the British Antarctic Expedition. (1910–1913){{cite web |last1=Phillips |first1=Elen |title=Captain Scott's Welsh Flag |url=https://museum.wales/articles/1093/Captain-Scotts-Welsh-Flag/ |website=Amgueddfa Cymru}}

File:Flag of Wales from 1919 Marshal Foch victory-harmony banner - Edited.png|Flag of Wales from the 1919 Marshal Foch victory-harmony banner

File:Flag of Wales, 1807-1953.svg|Variant depicting the dragon on a green mount{{cite book |last1=Barraclough |first1=E.M.C. |title=Flags of the World |date=1969 |publisher=Frederick Warne & Co Ltd |location=London |page=55}}

File:Flag of Wales (1953-1959).svg|Flag depicting the Royal Badge of Wales after its augmentation of honour, used 1953–1959

File:Flag of the Welsh colony in Patagonia.svg|Flag of {{lang|cy|Y Wladfa}}

File:Australian Welsh-heritage flag.svg|Welsh Australian flag{{Cite web |title=The Welsh Australian Flag 1988 |url=https://australianaflags.com.au/flags/the-welsh-australian-flag-1988/ |access-date=2024-04-19 |website=Australiana Flags |language=en-GB}}

File:House flag of Cory Brothers.svg|House flag of the Cory Brothers{{cite web |url=https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-203 |title=House flag, Cory Brothers |author= |date= |work=Royal Museums Greenwich |access-date=19 April 2024}}

File:House flag of John Byford and Son.svg|House flag of John Byford and Son{{cite web |url=https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-1105 |title=House flag, John Byford & Son Ltd |author= |date= |work=Royal Museums Greenwich |access-date=19 April 2024}}

File:Union Flag (including Wales).svg|One suggested redesign of the Union Jack with the red dragon from the flag of Wales added in the centre

File:flagofwales.atr42.arp.750pix.jpg|The red dragon on the tailfin of an Air Wales ATR 42 aircraft.

{{main|Flag of Saint David}}

File:Flag of Saint David.svg]]

The flag of Saint David, a yellow cross on a black field, is used in the emblem of the Diocese of St Davids and is flown on St David's Day.

File:Government_Ensign_of_Wales.svg

An ensign for use aboard ships used by the Welsh Government, such as the patrol boats of the Marine and Fisheries Division, was granted in 2017.Flag Institute Flagmaster Issue 160 The flag is a British blue ensign defaced with a yellow dragon with red claws and tongue.

The flag of Wales has been used by those in the arts, sport and business to show a sense of patriotism or recognition with Wales. During the 1999 Rugby World Cup, which was hosted in Wales, the opening ceremony used the motif of the dragon several times; the flag was worn on a dress by Welsh singer Shirley Bassey.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/461052.stm |title=World Cup kicks off in style |work=BBC News Online |date=1 October 1999 }}

Other musicians to have used the flag, include Nicky Wire of Manic Street Preachers, who will often drape the Welsh flag over amps when playing live,{{cite news |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/manic-street-preachers/pages/nicky.shtml |title=Manic Street Preachers – Nicky Wire |publisher=BBC Wales Music }} and Cerys Matthews who has worn the image on her clothes,{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/pop-music-the-changing-face-of-brit-guitar-rock-1152664.html |title=Pop music: The changing face of Brit guitar rock |work=The Independent |date=27 March 1998 }} while classical singer Katherine Jenkins has taken the flag on stage during live performances.{{cite news |url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-23543895-katherine-jenkins-threatens-to-spill-out-of-dress-on-stage-as-boyfriend-gethin-jones-looks-on.do |title=Katherine Jenkins threatens to spill out of dress on stage as boyfriend Gethin Jones looks on |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100405072446/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-23543895-katherine-jenkins-threatens-to-spill-out-of-dress-on-stage-as-boyfriend-gethin-jones-looks-on.do |archive-date=5 April 2010 |work=Evening Standard |date=25 August 2008 }}

Former Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters's album Radio K.A.O.S. (1987) follows the story of a young disabled Welsh man, grounded in California, who regularly expresses nostalgia and a hope for return to his home country. The chorus of "Sunset Strip" uses the imagery of the flag of Wales to further emphasise this:

{{Poemquote |text=And I sit in the canyon with my back to the sea

There's a blood-red dragon on a field of green

Calling me back, back to the Black Hills again. }}

In 2018, the flag made an unexpected appearance in Black Panther, during a scene set in the United Nations. The flag is displayed alongside those of independent sovereign nations, leading to speculation that Wales is an independent nation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The scene led to comments and discussions, including from the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru.

{{cite news |last1=Brennan |first1=Shane |title=Marvel movie franchise recognises Welsh independence |url=https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/wales-wins-independence-united-nations-14298958 |access-date=12 March 2021 |agency=North Wales Live |date=16 February 2018}}{{cite news |title=Black Panther's universe features an 'independent Wales' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-43085864 |access-date=12 March 2021 |agency=BBC |date=16 February 2018}}{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Kathryn |title=Welsh flag flies as independent state in Marvel superhero film Black Panther |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/film-news/welsh-flag-flies-independent-state-14296040 |access-date=12 March 2021 |agency=Wales Online |date=16 February 2018}}

In 2024, the flag appeared in Deadpool & Wolverine, where an alternate version of Deadpool, known as "Welshpool," was depicted wearing the flag as part of his costume.

{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdx646eq9g1o |title=Wrexham striker’s Deadpool suit goes on display |work=BBC News |date=27 August 2024 |access-date=30 January 2025 }}

File:Twemoji12 1f3f4-e0067-e0062-e0077-e006c-e0073-e007f.svg typeface, as it appears on X (formerly Twitter)]]

In 2017, the Unicode Consortium approved emoji support for the flag of Wales, alongside the flags of England and Scotland, in Unicode version 10.0 and Emoji version 5.0.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-36985749 |title=Wales flag emoji decision awaited |last=Thomas |first=Huw |date=5 August 2016 |work=BBC News |access-date=18 October 2018 }}{{Cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2017/01/27/emoji-england-scotland-wales-flags-released-year/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2017/01/27/emoji-england-scotland-wales-flags-released-year/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Emoji for England, Scotland and Wales flags to be released this year |last=Titcomb |first=James |date=2017 |work=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=18 October 2018 }}{{cbignore}} This was following a proposal from Jeremy Burge of Emojipedia and Owen Williams of BBC Wales in March 2016.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-41839176 |title=Wales flag emoji arrives on iPhone |date=1 November 2017 |work=BBC News |access-date=18 October 2018 }}{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-40032325 |title=Wales flag emoji arrives on Twitter |date=24 May 2017 |work=BBC News |access-date=18 October 2018 }} The flag is implemented using the regional indicator symbol sequence {{mono|GB-WLS}}. Prior to this update, The Daily Telegraph reported that users had "been able to send emojis of the Union Flag, but not of the individual nations".{{Cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/11/flags-england-wales-scotland-given-thumbs-emoji-chiefs/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/11/flags-england-wales-scotland-given-thumbs-emoji-chiefs/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Flags of England, Wales and Scotland given thumbs up by emoji chiefs |date=11 December 2016 |work=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=18 October 2018 }}{{cbignore}}

{{portal|Wales}}

• List of flags of the United Kingdom
• List of Welsh flags
• National symbols of Wales
• Flags of Europe

{{Reflist|30em|refs=

{{Cite book|last=Davies |first=John| author2=Jenkins, Nigel| title=The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales |year=2008 |publisher=University of Wales Press |location=Cardiff |isbn=978-0-7083-1953-6}}

}}

• {{Cite book|last=Davies |first=John| author2=Jenkins, Nigel| title=The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales |year=2008 |publisher=University of Wales Press |location=Cardiff |isbn=978-0-7083-1953-6}}
• {{cite book|last1=Eriksen|first1=Thomas|last2=Jenkins|first2=Richard|title=Flag, nation and symbolism in Europe and America|date=2007|publisher=Routledge|location=London|isbn=9780415444040|pages=80|edition=1. publ.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=scHXHTkRmZcC&pg=PA80}}

{{Commons category|National flag of Wales|Flag of Wales}}

• [http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/gb-wls.html Flag of Wales] at Flags of the World

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