What does the Union Jack represent as the British national flag?
The Union Jack design is a visual record of political union—not a set of color metaphors. It layers three historic crosses to show how multiple nations came under one crown:
St. George’s Cross (England) — red upright cross on white
St. Andrew’s Cross (Scotland) — white diagonal saltire on blue
St. Patrick’s Cross (Ireland) — red diagonal saltire on white
Why the off-center look? The red and white saltires are intentionally counterchanged so Scotland’s and Ireland’s symbols both remain visible—an asymmetry by design. Wales isn’t shown separately because it had been integrated into the English crown before the composite flag took shape.
In short, the Union Jack represents union through history: distinct identities combined into a single national emblem.
— Baldwin Flags
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