Flag of Anguilla

The flag of Anguilla consists of a navy blue background with the Union Jack in the canton. To the right is the shield of Anguilla, whose design is based on that used by the old flag of Anguilla, known as The Three Dolphins.

History

During the 1967 revolution that tried to separate this archipelago from Saint Kitts and Nevis (until then, forming a federation within the United Kingdom) the first flag was created, on July 27 of that year, composed of a background purple with the image of two mermaids separated by a shell within a blue circle. This flag was not accepted and was soon changed to a much simpler one, on September 20: three orange dolphins on a white field (representing purity and peace) on a smaller turquoise field representing the Caribbean Sea, faith, youth and hope. The three dolphins represent perseverance, unity and strength, forming a circle of continuity.

Unlike The Mermaids, The Three Dolphins became extremely popular and quickly became symbols of the Anguillan people. However, with the British intervention in 1969 and the end of "independence" that the island had until that moment, the flag lost its official status and the flag of the United Kingdom was reinstated as official. But the old flag of Anguilla continued to be used by the people, which was not objected to by the colonial government. In 1990, and after the establishment of Anguilla as a dependency (separate from Saint Kitts and Nevis), a new flag was designed, incorporating the old autonomist symbol as part of the shield.

Today, the Three Dolphins flag remains very popular and is the one most used by the people of the island of Anguilla, despite not being official.