Flying Flags

Australians are not known for flying their country’s flag at their residences unlike some countries where you see them all over the place eg. USA
I am the exception around here.
My father was a flag flyer so it must be in my genes.
He always flew the Lion Rampant to reflect his Scottish heritage.
This is second ‘unofficial’ flag of Scotland, the official flag being the blue and white St. Andrews Cross.
The Lion Rampant is also known as the Royal Banner of Scotland or the Royal Flag of Scotland.
The earliest record of its use in Scotland dates back to 1222 AD.

Officially, it can only be flown at royal residences such as Holyrood Palace and Balmoral Castle, and only then when the monarch, currently King Charles III, isn’t in residence.

So does that mean it’s illegal to fly the Lion Rampant?
The answer is, that according to British law, it is actually illegal to fly this particular flag in Scotland unless it’s at a royal residence.
That hasn’t stopped its use though and today the Lion Rampant is proudly waved alongside the official flag at sporting events and political events and even seen on tourist gift shops.
In reality, the likelihood of getting into trouble for flying the Lion Rampant is next to zero, but there have been a few occasions where businesses have been fined for using it without permission.
It always puzzled me that my father flew it, given his destain, in true Scottish fashion, for most things English.
I have in the past flown two flags.

One is the Australian flag (despite the Union Flag of the UK in the corner, but that’s another story) when our Labor government is in power and the Eureka flag as a sign of protest when the conservatives are in power.

The Eureka flag was born out of a protest of autocratic colonial government way back in 1854 in the goldfields of Victoria 

That history is here.

Unfortunately it has been used for a number of unsavoury causes in the past but it’s still a symbol of freedom to a great many of Australians.

I would like it to replace the current Australian flag but that will never happen.
An old friend of mine had a Scottish flag which she said would never be used and because 50% Scottish blood flows in my veins she sent it to me.

It’s the St.Andrews cross which forms part of the UK’s Union Flag together with England’s red St.George Cross and Ireland’s red saltire. Strangely enough, the Republic of Ireland is not part of the UK (but Northern Ireland is) and Wales is not represented.
It’ll be flying on days of Scottish significance eg. St. Andrews Day, 30th November.