The King’s Flag for Australia Officially Debuts with Charles III Visit

OCTOBER 20, 2024 — King Charles III’s inaugural visit to Australia today marks the first official use of the newly designed King’s Flag for Australia, reports the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The “King’s Flag for Australia”, symbolizing Charles’ role as King of Australia, is flown at official buildings or while he travels by boat, plane, or car, following a tradition started by his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II. The design was approved by King Charles on August 30, 2023, to coincide with his historic tour.

The King’s Flag for Australia features six quarters that represent the country’s six states, all taken from the Commonwealth Coat of Arms and surrounded by an ermine border to symbolize the Commonwealth of Australia, according to the website of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

The first quarter represents New South Wales and displays the Cross of St George with a heraldic gold lion in the center. The second quarter represents Victoria, showcasing the Southern Cross constellation with an Imperial Crown. The third quarter symbolizes Queensland, featuring a blue Maltese Cross, also surmounted by an Imperial Crown. The fourth quarter represents South Australia with the image of an Australian Piping Shrike perched. The fifth quarter stands for Western Australia, represented by a black swan. Lastly, the sixth quarter symbolizes Tasmania, represented by a red lion, as listed in the government website.

This flag differs from Queen Elizabeth II’s flag for Australia, which also included a large seven-pointed Federation Star at the center. Inside the Federation Star was the letter ‘E’ for Elizabeth in gold, topped by a stylized St. Edward’s Crown and encircled by a garland of gold roses on a blue roundel.

Much like the Royal Standard in the United Kingdom, the King’s Flag for Australia is used to signify the monarch’s presence during official engagements in the country.

Image: SpinnerLaserzthe2nd, CC BY-SA 3.0

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