The Welsh flag is one of the most striking national flags in the world — a bold red dragon on a field of green and white. Known as the Y Ddraig Goch ("The Red Dragon" in Welsh), it is a symbol of immense pride and one of the oldest national emblems still in use anywhere on the globe.
Yet despite Wales being one of the four nations of the United Kingdom, the Welsh dragon appears nowhere on the Union Flag — the flag that represents the UK as a whole. This is a question that surprises many people, and the answer lies deep in the history of how Britain was politically unified. This article explores the full story of the Welsh flag, its ancient origins, and the historical reasons why Wales was left out of the Union Jack.
What Is the Welsh Flag?
The flag of Wales consists of a red dragon (Y Ddraig Goch) passant on a field divided horizontally — green on the bottom, white on the top. The dragon is depicted walking with one foreleg raised.
It is one of only a handful of national flags in the world to feature a dragon, and its design is instantly recognisable. The green and white halves of the background are associated with the House of Tudor, the Welsh royal dynasty that produced some of England's most famous monarchs.
The Ancient Origins of the Red Dragon
The red dragon is one of the oldest national symbols in the world, with roots stretching back well over a thousand years.
Roman Origins
The dragon standard — known as the draco — was used by Roman cavalry units and was brought to Britain during the Roman occupation. Celtic warriors adopted the symbol, and it became associated with power and military prowess in post-Roman Britain.
The Legend of Merlin and the Two Dragons
One of the most famous early references to the red dragon appears in the Historia Brittonum (c. 830 AD), attributed to the monk Nennius, and later elaborated by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae (c. 1136).
In the legend, the boy-prophet Merlin reveals to the British King Vortigern why his tower keeps collapsing: beneath the foundations lie two sleeping dragons — a red dragon representing the Britons (the Celtic people of Wales) and a white dragon representing the Saxons. The two dragons fight, and the red dragon ultimately prevails — a prophecy of British (Welsh) resistance against Saxon invaders.
This legend cemented the red dragon as a symbol of the Welsh people and their ancient British heritage.
The Dragon of Cadwaladr
The red dragon is closely associated with Cadwaladr ap Cadwallon, a 7th-century King of Gwynedd who is considered one of the last great kings of the Britons. Medieval Welsh tradition held that Cadwaladr's red dragon standard would one day return to lead the Welsh to victory — a prophecy that took on new significance with the rise of the Tudors.
The Tudor Dynasty and the Welsh Flag
The red dragon's association with Wales was dramatically elevated by the Tudor dynasty. Henry Tudor, who had strong Welsh roots through his father Edmund Tudor, marched under the red dragon banner when he invaded England in 1485 to claim the throne at the Battle of Bosworth Field.
After his victory, Henry became King Henry VII — the first Tudor monarch. He named his eldest son Arthur (a deliberate nod to Arthurian legend and Welsh heritage) and used the red dragon prominently in royal heraldry. The green and white background of the flag derives from the Tudor livery colours.
Under the Tudors, the red dragon became firmly established as the emblem of Wales, and the green-and-white-backed dragon flag took shape as the recognisable Welsh national flag.
Why Is Wales Not in the Union Jack?
This is perhaps the most frequently asked question about the Union Flag — and the answer is rooted in the political history of how the United Kingdom was formed.
Wales Was Already Part of England
The Union Flag was created in 1606, when King James VI of Scotland became James I of England, uniting the English and Scottish crowns. The flag combined the Cross of St George (England) with the Cross of St Andrew (Scotland).
Critically, by 1606, Wales was not a separate kingdom — it had already been legally incorporated into the Kingdom of England under the Laws in Wales Acts of 1535 and 1542 (the Acts of Union between England and Wales), passed during the reign of Henry VIII. Wales was treated as part of England for constitutional purposes, not as a separate nation requiring its own representation in the flag.
In other words, when the Union Flag was designed, Wales was considered to be represented by the Cross of St George — England's flag — rather than needing its own symbol.
The Cross of St Patrick Was Added Later
When Ireland joined the union in 1801, the flag was updated to include the Cross of St Patrick (a red diagonal cross on white), creating the Union Flag as it exists today. Wales, having been absorbed into England centuries earlier, was again not separately represented.
No Cross, No Place?
There is also a practical heraldic consideration. The Union Flag is composed of three crosses — St George, St Andrew, and St Patrick. The Welsh flag features a dragon, not a cross, making it stylistically incompatible with the existing design logic of the Union Flag. Incorporating a dragon into the flag's geometry would require a fundamental redesign.
Calls to Include Wales in the Union Flag
The absence of Wales from the Union Flag has been a point of debate for many years, and calls to update the flag have grown louder since Welsh devolution in 1999 and the establishment of the Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament).
Various redesign proposals have been put forward over the years, including:
- Adding a green stripe to represent Wales
- Incorporating a small red dragon into the centre of the Union Flag
- Overlaying elements of the Welsh flag onto the existing design
To date, no official change has been made and The Union Flag remains unchanged.
Official Recognition of the Welsh Flag
Despite its ancient origins, the Welsh flag had a surprisingly long wait for formal official recognition:
- 1807 — The red dragon on a green and white background was granted to Wales by royal decree, though its use had been widespread for centuries before this.
- 1959 — The flag was officially recognised by Royal Warrant as the national flag of Wales, with the current design (dragon on green and white) formally confirmed.
- Prior to 1959, an older version of the flag sometimes featured the dragon on a plain green background, or with a crown above it — the 1959 warrant standardised the design.
The Welsh Flag Today
The Welsh flag is flown with enormous pride across Wales and wherever Welsh communities exist around the world. It is a fixture at:
- Wales international rugby, football, and cricket matches
- St David's Day celebrations (1 March)
- The Senedd and Welsh Government buildings
- Welsh cultural events, Eisteddfodau, and diaspora gatherings worldwide
The dragon's fierce, dynamic design makes it one of the most visually powerful national flags in the world — and one that is immediately identifiable on the international stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Welsh dragon not on the Union Jack?
Because Wales had already been legally incorporated into the Kingdom of England under the Acts of Union of 1535–42, before the Union Flag was created in 1606. Wales was considered part of England and represented by the Cross of St George, so no separate Welsh symbol was included.
What does the Welsh flag represent?
The red dragon (Y Ddraig Goch) represents the ancient Celtic Britons and Welsh resistance, with roots in Roman, Arthurian, and Tudor legend. The green and white background derives from the Tudor livery colours.
What is the Welsh flag called?
The Welsh flag is officially called the Red Dragon or Y Ddraig Goch in Welsh. It features a red dragon passant on a horizontally divided green (bottom) and white (top) background.
When was the Welsh flag officially recognised?
The current design of the Welsh flag was officially confirmed by Royal Warrant in 1959, though the red dragon had been used as a Welsh symbol for well over a thousand years before that.
Could Wales be added to the Union Jack?
There have been various proposals to incorporate a Welsh element into the Union Flag, but no official change has been made. Any redesign would require a significant departure from the flag's existing cross-based structure.
What is St David's Day?
St David's Day is celebrated on 1 March each year. St David (Dewi Sant) is the patron saint of Wales, and the day is marked with celebrations of Welsh culture, language, and identity across Wales and the Welsh diaspora.
Conclusion
The Welsh flag — Y Ddraig Goch — is a symbol of extraordinary antiquity and power. From Roman cavalry standards to Arthurian legend, from the battlefields of Bosworth to the rugby terraces of the Principality Stadium, the red dragon has endured as one of the world's great national emblems.
Its absence from the Union Flag is not an oversight but a consequence of history: Wales was absorbed into England before the Union Flag existed, and the flag's cross-based design left no natural place for a dragon. That historical quirk has, if anything, made the Welsh flag more fiercely cherished — a symbol that belongs entirely and unmistakably to Wales alone.