10th December 1980

Jersey is granted its own flag

Although Jersey had long flown a red saltire – a stretched red X on a white background – it wasn’t until the early 1980s that it was officially granted its own flag. 

Settling on a design not greatly different to that which it had used before, the flag approved by the Queen on 10 December 1980 sported a narrower saltire, still red, with a shield in the upper quadrant. Topped by a yellow crown, the red shield bears three Norman leopards. To make sure the flag is flown the right way around, the leopards should always be looking towards the flagpole.

The flag wasn’t flown right away, though, as it wasn’t officially adopted until 7 April 1981, four years after the decision had been made to search for a new design that would better distinguish the island on the world stage.