As the Queen's coffin left Buckingham Palace for the last time on Wednesday, many saw that the coffin was draped in the Royal Standard flag, alongside the Imperial State Crown on a velvet cushion with a wreath of flowers atop, and carried on a gun carriage of King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery.
Through the years, the composition of the Royal Standard has taken various forms. In today's Standard, there are four quarterings - England is represented with the three lions passant in the first and forth quarters. Scotland is represented with a lion rampant in the second quarter and Ireland is represented with a harp.
But Wales is not represented on the Royal Standard flag, just as it is not represented in the Union Jack (also known as the Union Flag). The reason for this is down to decisions made hundreds of years ago.
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According to the Royal Family website, Wales is not represented in the Royal Standard due to its historical position as a Principality in the context of the United Kingdom. It writes: "Wales is not represented in the Royal Standard, as its special position as a Principality was recognised by the creation of the Prince of Wales long before the incorporation of the quarterings for Scotland and Ireland in the Royal Arms."
Back in 1216, the kingdom of England controlled the south of Wales, but the north was ruled by Welsh princes. Welsh independence ended with Edward I's conquest between 1277 and 1283. But Wales did not become a part of the Kingdom of England at this point, still having its own laws.
That was until the Laws in Wales Acts of 1535 and 1542 formally incorporated Wales into the kingdom of England, and ended the existence of the principality of Wales. So by the time the Acts of Union were enacted in 1706 and 1707, unifying the kingdoms of England and Scotland under one kingdom of Great Britain, Wales had already been part of the kingdom of England for more than 150 years.
The Royal Standard is flown only when the Sovereign is present. If the Union Jack is flying above Buckingham Palace instead of the Standard, The Queen is not in residence. Unlike the Union flag however, the Royal Standard is never flown at half mast, even after the death of a monarch, as there is always a Sovereign on the throne.
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