The Saints Behind the Union Jack: A Clarification

The flag of the United Kingdom (the Union Jack) does not depict saints directly; rather, it combines the heraldic crosses of the three patron saints representing the constituent kingdoms of the union:

• St. George (England): The red cross on a white field (Cross of St. George).
• St. Andrew (Scotland): The white diagonal cross on a blue field (Saltire of St. Andrew).
• St. Patrick (Ireland): The red diagonal cross on a white field (Cross of St. Patrick), representing Northern Ireland in the modern union.

Wales is not represented separately in the flag, as it was considered a principality of England at the time the union flags were designed (1606 and 1801).