You see it on the corner of the Australian flag during the Olympics. It’s there on the New Zealand ensign, confusing casual observers who can’t quite tell the two apart at a distance. Honestly, for many people, seeing country flags with union jack elements feels like a glitch in the modern world. Why does a sovereign nation, thousands of miles from London, still fly the colors of the British maritime empire?
It’s complicated.
Most people assume it’s just a leftover scrap of colonialism that everyone forgot to tidy up. But the reality is a messy mix of constitutional law, cultural identity, and—in some cases—a whole lot of stubbornness. Vexillology, the study of flags, isn't just about pretty patterns. It’s about who owns the history of a place. When you look at the Union Jack (or the Union Flag, if we're being pedantic and it’s not on a ship), you’re looking at the cross of St. George, the saltire of St. Andrew, and the saltire of St. Patrick all mashed into one.
The "Big Two" and the Great Flag Debate
Australia and New Zealand are the heavy hitters here. They are the most prominent sovereign country flags with union jack designs still in use today.
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In Australia, the flag has been a point of contention for decades. The current design was chosen in 1901, right after federation. It features the Union Jack in the canton (the top-left quarter), the Commonwealth Star, and the Southern Cross. You’ve got groups like Ausflag constantly pushing for a redesign, arguing that the Union Jack represents a "subordinate" relationship to Britain that doesn't exist anymore. Then you have the Australian National Flag Association, who will tell you that the flag represents the foundations of the country’s parliamentary democracy and legal system. It's a stalemate.
New Zealand actually came remarkably close to changing theirs. Between 2015 and 2016, the government spent about $26 million NZD on a two-stage referendum. They wanted to see if the public preferred a new design, specifically the Silver Fern, over the colonial-era ensign.
The result?
The old flag won. Well, "won" is a strong word. About 56.6% of voters chose to keep the current flag. Many felt the timing was wrong, or the silver fern design looked too much like a corporate logo for an airline. Others argued that veterans had fought and died under the Union Jack. It turns out, even if you aren't particularly "British" in your daily life, changing a national symbol is an emotional nightmare.
Beyond the Southern Hemisphere
It’s not just the big Pacific nations. Fiji and Tuvalu also keep the Union Jack in their cantons.
Fiji’s situation is particularly interesting. In 2015, Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama announced that the Union Jack would be removed to reflect a truly independent state. They even held a competition for new designs. But then, after Fiji won its first-ever Olympic gold medal in Rugby Sevens at the Rio 2016 games, the national mood shifted. The flag was everywhere. People were celebrating. The government quietly scrapped the plan to change the flag, basically saying the people had spoken through their sheer enthusiasm for the existing banner.
Tuvalu actually did remove the Union Jack in 1995. They went with a new design that didn't have the British symbol. But it lasted less than two years. By 1997, they reverted back to the old one. Why? Because the population felt the new flag was a move toward turning the country into a republic, and they weren't ready to sever that symbolic link to the Monarchy.
The Weird Case of Hawaii
Wait, Hawaii?
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Yes. The state of Hawaii has the Union Jack on its flag, and it was never even a British colony. This is one of those historical quirks that makes vexillology so fascinating. King Kamehameha I was gifted a British flag by explorer George Vancouver in the late 1700s. The King liked it. He flew it. Later, during the War of 1812, to show neutrality or perhaps just to balance the influence of the British and the Americans, the Kingdom of Hawaii designed its own flag.
They put the Union Jack in the corner and eight stripes to represent the islands. Even after the U.S. annexed Hawaii, the flag stayed. It’s a symbol of Hawaiian sovereignty and history that predates American involvement.
Why don't they just change it?
If you talk to designers or historians like Whitney Smith—who coined the term vexillology—they’ll tell you that flags are "non-verbal communication." Changing a flag is basically a country undergoing an identity crisis in public.
There are three main reasons these flags persist:
- Inertia. It is incredibly expensive and logistically annoying to change a flag. You have to change every government building, every military uniform, every passport cover, and every digital asset.
- The Crown. Many of these countries are Constitutional Monarchies. For some citizens, keeping the Union Jack is a way of acknowledging the King as the Head of State.
- Military Heritage. This is the big one. Most veterans' organizations are fiercely protective of the flag. They view the Union Jack not as a symbol of London, but as a symbol of the specific sacrifices made by their own soldiers in World Wars I and II.
The Canadian Pivot
If you want to know what happens when a country successfully ditches the Union Jack, look at Canada. Before 1965, Canada used the Red Ensign—a red flag with the Union Jack in the corner and the Canadian coat of arms.
The "Great Flag Debate" of 1964 was brutal. It divided the country. Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson wanted something uniquely Canadian. The opposition, led by John Diefenbaker, fought tooth and nail to keep the Red Ensign. Eventually, the Maple Leaf won out. Today, it’s one of the most recognized and loved flags in the world. Hardly anyone in Canada looks back and wishes they still had the Union Jack on their flag. It shows that while the transition is painful, the "new" identity eventually becomes the only one people can imagine.
Sub-national flags you might miss
While we focus on country flags with union jack designs, it’s worth noting that the symbol is tucked away in plenty of provinces and territories.
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In Canada, British Columbia, Ontario, and Manitoba still use it. In Australia, every single state flag (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, etc.) features the Union Jack. It’s a fractal of colonial branding. Even the city of Taunton in Massachusetts uses it in a historical capacity.
The Future of the Canton
Is the Union Jack disappearing? Slowly, yes.
The trend is clearly moving toward unique national symbols. As generations pass, the emotional tie to the "Mother Country" fades. In the 1920s, the British Empire was at its peak. Today, it's a Commonwealth of independent nations.
However, don't expect Australia or New Zealand to change anytime soon. The political cost is too high for most leaders to bother. Unless there is a massive push for a republic, the Union Jack will likely remain in those cantons for decades to come.
It’s a visual reminder that history isn't a series of clean breaks. It’s a messy, overlapping sequence of events. The Union Jack on a Pacific island flag is a map of where that country has been, even if it doesn't necessarily dictate where it’s going.
Insights for Flag Enthusiasts and Travelers
If you are interested in the history of these flags or planning to visit these nations, keep these practical points in mind to understand the local context:
- Respect the military connection. In Australia and New Zealand, the flag is deeply tied to ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) traditions. Be mindful when discussing flag changes in RSL (Returned and Services League) clubs or during commemorative events like ANZAC Day.
- Differentiate the flags. To tell Australia and New Zealand apart: Australia has white stars (mostly seven-pointed) and includes the large Commonwealth Star under the Union Jack. New Zealand has four red stars with white borders, representing the Southern Cross, and no Commonwealth Star.
- Observe the protocols. In places like Hawaii, the state flag is flown with immense pride. It is a symbol of the Kingdom's history, not British loyalty. Treat it with the same respect you would a national banner.
- Research the "Red Ensign." If you see a version of these flags with a red background instead of blue, you’re looking at a civil ensign (used by merchant ships). In Australia, the Red Ensign has a specific legal and historical following among certain groups.
- Check the local legislation. Flag use is often governed by specific "Flags Acts" (like the Australian Flags Act 1953). These laws dictate exactly how the Union Jack must be positioned and when it can be flown alongside other flags, such as the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander flags.