The Secret History Behind Wales' Flag
The red dragon of Wales flew for centuries before it became the official flag.
Y Ddraig Goch, the red dragon, is believed to have been adopted by the kings of Aberffraw to show their power after the Romans left Britain. The green and white stripes were added by Henry VII, the first Tudor king, who used those colors on his standard.
In 1800, King George III granted Wales a royal badge of a dragon on a green mount. For the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953, the badge was given the words "Y ddraig goch ddyry cychwyn", "the red dragon leads the way".
The red dragon on a green and white field was made the official flag of Wales in 1959.
The date printed on every Wales design in our catalog, March 1, is Saint David's Day, the national day of Wales.
A dragon that waited until 1959 to become official, after leading the way for centuries.
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