Canadian flags of the Royal Family
Canada is the first Commonwealth realm to create personal flags for members of the Royal Family other than the flag of the Head of State.
The flag designs are developed by the Canadian Heraldic Authority.
The Sovereign’s personal representative to Canada, the governor general, and to the provinces, the lieutenant governors, each have a personal flag, as do the territorial commissioners. Learn more about the governor general’s personal flag and the lieutenant governors’ and territorial commissioners' personal flags in Canada.
On this page
- The Sovereign’s Personal Canadian flag
- The Prince of Wales’ Personal Canadian flag
- The Duke of York’s Personal Canadian flag
- The Duke of Edinburgh’s Personal Canadian flag
- The Princess Royal’s Personal Canadian flag
- Past Personal Canadian flags of the Royal Family
- Precedence
The Sovereign’s Personal Canadian flag
The Sovereign’s Personal Canadian flag is displayed to mark their presence in Canada. If more than one member of the Royal Family is present, only the flag of the member of the Royal Family taking precedence shall be flown.
The Personal Canadian flag of the Sovereign consists of a banner of the Royal Arms of Canada — that is, a rectangular representation of the shield of the Coat of Arms of Canada.
Aside from the maples leaves representing Canada and all Canadians, the flag features royal emblems of the United Kingdom and France: the lions of England and Scotland, the harp of Ireland, and the fleurs-de-lis of France.
While the Personal Canadian flag of Queen Elizabeth II for use in Canada also featured a personal symbol at the centre — a blue disc bearing her initial — the current flag emphasizes that the Royal Arms of Canada, as their name implies, are also the arms of the monarch of Canada.
This flag was unveiled in May 2023 to mark the beginning of the reign of King Charles III as King of Canada, but features a permanent design that will also serve for all future sovereigns of Canada.
The Prince of Wales’ Personal Canadian flag
The Personal Canadian flag of The Prince of Wales consists of a banner of the Arms of Canada bearing a blue disc within a wreath of golden maple leaves. This disc features the badge commonly known as The Prince of Wales’ feathers, used by the heir apparent to the reigning monarch. Near the top of the flag is a traditional heraldic mark of an eldest child, the 3-point white label.
The Duke of York’s Personal Canadian flag
The Personal Canadian flag of The Duke of York consists of a banner of the Arms of Canada bearing a blue disc within a wreath of golden maple leaves. The disc features The Duke of York’s initial, the letter "A", with a coronet above it indicating that he is a child of the former Sovereign. Near the top of the flag is a 3-point white label charged with a blue anchor, taken from The Duke of York’s coat of arms.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Personal Canadian flag
The Personal Canadian flag of The Duke of Edinburgh consists of a banner of the Arms of Canada bearing a blue disc within a wreath of golden maple leaves. The disc features The Duke of Edinburgh’s initial, the letter "E," with a coronet above it indicating that he is a child of the former Sovereign. Near the top of the flag is a 3-point white label charged with a Tudor rose, taken from The Duke of Edinburgh’s coat of arms.
The Princess Royal’s Personal Canadian flag
The Personal Canadian flag of The Princess Royal consists of a banner of the Arms of Canada bearing a blue disc within a wreath of golden maple leaves. The disc features the Princess Royal’s initial, the letter "A," with a coronet above it indicating that she is a child of the former Sovereign. Near the top of the flag is a 3-point white label charged with a red heart and 2 red crosses, taken from The Princess Royal’s coat of arms.
Past Personal Canadian flags of the Royal Family
The following flags are no longer in use.
Queen Elizabeth II’s Personal Canadian flag
The Duke of Cambridge’s Personal Canadian flag
Precedence
Learn more about Canadian flag precedence, including Canadian flags of the Royal Family and other personal flags.
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