The Welsh dragon does not appear on the Union Flag. This is because when the first Union Flag was created in 1606, the Principality of Wales by that time was already united with England and was no longer a separate principality. The Union Flag was originally a Royal flag.
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.
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.
There are no symbols representing Wales in the flag, making Wales the only home nation with no direct representation, as at the time of the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 (creating legal union with England) the concept of national flags was in its infancy.
Wales is not currently represented in the union jack because it was part of the English kingdom when the flag was designed.
What is Wales, exactly? Wales is a country that forms part of the island of Great Britain. There are three countries that make up this island: Wales, and our neighbours England and Scotland. Wales also forms part of the United Kingdom.
A YouGov poll in January 2021 found that 31% of people in Wales support holding a referendum on Welsh independence within the next five years with 47% opposing.
It is now regarded mostly as a symbol of Welsh nationalism, often flown to advocate for independence from the union, however this movement hasn't necessarily gained much traction.
Wales is a constituent country which forms part of the United Kingdom because it has its own government and national identity. However, it is not a sovereign country because the UK government still has authority when it comes to law-making.
The Union Jack is the flag which was designed to represent the four kingdoms in the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), however, it only has links to three of them. The kingdom missing from the Union Jack is Wales.
To this day, the English "Princes of Wales" have no genuine connection to our country. The title remains an insult to Wales and is a symbol of historical oppression. The title implies that Wales is still a principality undermining Wales' status as a nation and a country.
It is considered that the Welsh kings of Aberffraw first adopted the dragon in the early fifth century in order to symbolise their power and authority after the Romans withdrew from Britain. Later, around the seventh century, it became known as the Red Dragon of Cadwaladr, king of Gwynedd from 655 to 682.
The Prince of Wales is the heir to the throne and the eldest son of His Majesty The King and Diana, Princess of Wales. His Royal Highness is married to The Princess of Wales, Catherine, with whom he has three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
In June 1831, a community of Welsh miners rose up against the ironmasters and defied the might of the British state, seizing control of their town for a full week, and flying the red flag for the first time on British soil as a symbol of workers' insurrection.
The following is an account and history of the three Welsh flags that are currently used throughout Wales. Although Wales is an integral part of the UK (represented by the Union Jack), it is still a Nation with it's own identity and therefore still has its own National Flag.
Spoken throughout Wales, in border-towns between England and Wales, and in the Chubut province of Argentina. Welsh is still spoken throughout the region: around 21% of the people of Wales (about 600,000 people), as well as some people outside Wales, including those in nearby England, can speak Welsh.
The Welsh descended from the Celtic tribes of Europe. It has been posited that the Beaker Folk came to Wales from central Europe in around 2000BC. They brought with them rudimentary knives and axes made from metals.
A significant revolt against English rule was the Glyndŵr Rising of 1400–1415, which briefly restored Welsh independence. Owain Glyndŵr held the first Welsh parliament (Senedd) in Machynlleth in 1404 where he was proclaimed Prince of Wales and a second parliament in 1405 in Harlech.
A recent opinion poll by YouGov for the BBC's Panorama suggested 58% of people thought Britain should continue to have a monarchy, with 26% preferring an elected head of state. Of the 225 people questioned in Wales for the survey, the figures were similar - 58% and 29% respectively.
The cultural relationship is usually characterised by tolerance of people and cultures, although some mutual mistrust and racism or xenophobia persists. Hatred or fear of the Welsh by the English has been termed "Cymrophobia", and similar attitudes towards the English by the Welsh, or others, are termed "Anglophobia".
The English name, Wales, derives from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning 'foreigners', or in particular those foreigners who were under the influence of the Roman empire. The Welsh name for Wales is Cymru, which comes from the plural of Cymro, 'a Welshman'.
People born in Wales are called Welsh or British and can say that they live in Wales, Britain and/or the UK. Most people in Wales will say they are Welsh rather than British.
Wales is home to many spectacular landscapes including national parks, mountains, hills, and stunning coastlines. Although these are all found in England, England has a lot more residential area and busier towns and cities compared to Wales.
The Welsh consider themselves to be British more than any other nation in the United Kingdom. They are historically British from before the English invasion of Britain, and furthermore they speak a British language called Welsh. The Scots are British too, but the Irish aren't.