Flag of British Virgin Islands
A Blue Ensign with the coat of arms in the fly. On a green shield, Saint Ursula holds a flaming gold lamp, with eleven more lamps around her and the motto Vigilate below.
What the flag means
The saint and the lamps refer to Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgin followers. The Latin motto Vigilate means 'be watchful'.
History
The islands were run as part of the British Leeward Islands until they became a separate colony. The flag was adopted by Royal Warrant on 15 November 1960. In 1999 the shield was enlarged and outlined in white. A Red Ensign with the arms was authorised as the civil ensign in 2001.
Earlier flags of British Virgin Islands
- 1960–1999Same Blue Ensign with a smaller shield and no white outline
Sources
- Wikipedia: Flag of the British Virgin Islands
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Read how we research flags in our editorial policy, or report a mistake.
