- REMEMBRANCE FLAG
- See ‘memorial flag 2)’.
- REPEATER (or REPEATER PENNANT)
- See ‘substitute’.
- REPEATING FRIGATES
- The 18th/19th Century term, now obsolete, for those frigates that were stationed outside or behind the
main line in a fleet of sailing or steam-assisted warships in order to relay flag signals to ships out of view of the
flagship (see also ‘flagship’ and
‘signal flag’).
Please note that in the context of the above definition a
frigate was a naval vessel which carried her main armament of 28 – 50 long-guns on a single deck.
- RESERVE ENSIGN
- See under ‘ensign’.
Reserve Ensign of The Bahamas (fotw)
- RESPECTANT
- See ‘appendix V’
- RETREAT CEREMONY
- In military usage, a formal ceremony requiring a full guard and band for lowering
the national flag at the end of the day on special occasions (see also
‘reveille’ and
‘sunset’).
Please note that this ceremony has its roots in
late Medieval and early Renaissance period with the formal ceremonies associated
with closing the gates of fortresses and castles for the night.
- REVEILLE
- In UK, US and some other military usage, the ceremony of hoisting the national
flag at the start of a day and taken from the name of the bugle call sounded to
awaken the troops (see also 'colours 5)' and
'retreat ceremony').
- REVERSE
- The less important side of a flag that is generally, but not invariably, a
mirror image of the obverse. A distinctive reverse design or charge will
usually only be found on unique flags, ceremonial flags, regimental colours
and similar, there are however, occasional exceptions - see
'double-sided' and
'two-sided'.(also
‘ceremonial flag 1)’.
‘colour 2)’,
‘obverse’
and ‘unique flag’).
- REVERSED
- 1) On flags, the term is used to refer to a charge or charges that run in the opposite
direction to that in which they are normally placed (see also
‘reversed chevron’,
‘reversed pall’ and
‘reversed pile’).
- 2) In heraldry, as above but the term is also used when arms or a charge are reversed or turned downward
– debased, everted, inverted, subverted, subvertant or transposed.
- REVERSED CHEVRON
- See ‘chevron 1)’ and
‘chevron 2)’.
Flag of Birżebbuġa, Malta (fotw)
- REVERSED PALL
- See 'pall'.
- REVERSED PILE
- See ‘pile’.
- REVERSED TRIANGLE
- See ‘triangle’.
Flag of
Łomża rural district,
Poland
- RHOMBUS
- See ‘lozenge 1)’.
- RIBBON
- 1) See ‘scroll’ (also ‘ribbon scroll 2)’).
2) See ‘cravat 2)’ and ‘draping’.
3) A term that is also (and inaccurately) used to describe a wavy stripe – see ‘wavy’.
- RIBBON SCROLL
- 1) Generically, see ‘scroll’.
- 2) Specifically, the term used for a narrow ribbon in the form of a scroll but of
greater length than is usual); it is normally (but not exclusively) placed below and/or
around the shield in a set of armorial bearings or an emblem, and is generally inscribed
with a motto – a ribbon – for example, those on the flags of the US states of Iowa and
of Massachusetts
(see also ‘scroll’).
Flag of the State of Iowa, US; Flag of the State of Massachusetts, US (fotw)
- RIKSBANNER (or RIJKSVAANDEL)
- See ‘coronation flags’.
- RING
- 1) A charge in the form of a narrow circular band typically used to separate
a sun’s central disc from its rays, as in the flags of Macedonia and Taiwan - a torus (see
also ‘disc’ and
‘cartouche’).
- 2) A piece of wood or metal for attaching a windsock to its pole and for keeping
it open (see also ‘windsock’).
- 3) See ‘battalion ring’ and
‘battle honour’.
- 4) One of a number of circular metal bands used as an increasingly (but
not entirely) obsolete method of attaching a military colour, parade flag or
gonfalon to its staff - see ‘colour 2)’,
‘parade flag 2)’ with its following
notes and ‘gonfalon 2)’
(also ‘loops’ and
‘ties’).
Naval Jack of Taiwan (fotw); National Flag of
Macedonia (fotw)
Please note that the heraldic term for this type
of charge is an annulet- see ‘annulet’.
- RISING
- See ‘appendix V’.
- RISING DIAGONAL
- See ‘ascending diagonal’.
- ROD OF ASCLEPIUS
- See ‘Staff of Asclepius’.
- ROGACINA
- In Middle European heraldic usage, the Polish term for a charge in the form of a stylized
arrowhead or spear point, often with a decorated shaft and generally (but not invariably) pointing
upward (see also ‘shafted’ and
‘barbed’).
Ceremonial Flag and Arms of Cieszków, Poland (fotw); Flag of Baranów, Poland (Jarig Bakker):
Arms and Flag of Ropczyce-Sedziszow, Poland (fotw)
- ROPE GROMMET
- See ‘grommet 3)’.
- ROTATED SQUARE
- See ‘square lozenge’.
- ROTATIONAL POSITION
- See ‘radial orientation’.
Flag of Johore, Malaysia (fotw)
- ROUND-BOTTOMED SHIELD
- See ‘Spanish-style shield’.
- ROUNDED CROSS
- A form of the cross pattée in which the outer ends are in the form of a
convex arc (as if the charge was created from a circle) – an orbicular cross,
a Cross of the Portuguese Knights Templar or a consecration cross – see
‘cross pattée’ in ‘Appendix VIII’.
Flag of Agistri, Greece (fotw); Arms and Flag of
Pacos de Ferreira, Portugal (ICH and fotw); Arms and Flag of Outeiro Major, Portugal (Sérgio Horta)
- ROUNDED FLY
- See ‘lanceolate’
- ROUNDED SWALLOWTAIL
- See ‘descate’.
- ROUNDEL
- 1) A circular emblem of nationality employed on the fuselage and wings of military aircraft and
on some Air Force flags - generally (but not exclusively) consisting of concentric rings
of the national colours and based on the cockade (see also
‘aircraft marking(s)’,
‘cockade 2)’,
‘fin flash’ and
‘national colours 2’).
See supplemental note
- See ‘fuselage markings 1)’ and
‘wing marking(s) 1)’.
- 3) The heraldic term for a disc (see also ‘bezant’,
‘hurt’,
‘plates’ and
‘torteau’).
From left: Aircraft roundels: Argentina; Belgium; Colombia; Morocco (fotw);
Example; flag of Apples, Switzerland (fotw)
- ROUNDEL ARGENT
- See ‘plates’.
- ROUNDEL AZURE
- See ‘hurt’.
- ROUNDEL GULES
- See ‘torteau’.
- ROUNDEL OR
- See ‘bezant’.
- ROWEL
- The heraldic term for a mullet or star-like charge that usually (but not exclusively) has with five or six radiating points,
but which is pierced in its centre and is meant to represent the rowel of a spur – a spur
rowel or pierced mullet – but see mullet (also ‘pierced 2)’ and
‘star 1)’.
example,
Heinenoord
Please note, we suggest that a glossary or dictionary of heraldry be consulted
regarding use of the terms given above.
- ROYAL COMMAND FLAG (or BANNER)
- In Swedish usage, a banner of the royal arms (thus differing from the normal Swedish royal
standard) and flown in the presence of His Majesty the King when attending military functions,
or when acting in his honorary capacity as commander in chief of Sweden’s armed forces (see
also ‘banner 1)’ and
‘royal standard(s) 1)’).
Royal Command Flag, Sweden (fotw): Royal Standard, Sweden (fotw)
- ROYAL BANNER
- See ‘royal standard 1)’ and following note..
- ROYAL CIPHER
- 1) The combination of letters (or a single letter) and numerals, usually ensigned with a
crown, that is the personal mark of a reigning, previous or former monarch (see also
‘ensigned’ and
‘personal flag 1)’).
2) See ‘monogram’.
Royal Cipher (for use in England, Wales and Northern Ireland) of
HM Queen Elizabeth II, UK (Graham Bartram)
- ROYAL COLOUR (or COLOR)
- See ‘colour 2)’ and
‘colours 2)’.
- ROYAL FLAG
- 1) See ‘royal standard 1)’ and
‘royal standard 2)’.
2) In the plural, a general heading under which all the flags, standards and banners relating
to the sovereign, or to the royal family, of any particular country or countries are listed.
- ROYAL ORDER IN COUNCIL
- 1) In current UK usage, the legal instrument by which HM The Queen (upon
the advice of her council and under powers granted by statute law) authorizes
a usually (but not invariably) defaced red ensign – an order in council (see
also ‘civil ensign’ under
‘ensign’,
‘deface’,
‘flag law’,
‘red ensign 1)’ with its following note and
‘warrant’.
2) In some other monarchical usage, the legal means by which a head of state confirms
or authorizes display of a flag, such as that which established the Driekler as the
national flag of the Netherlands in 1937 (see also
‘executive order’ and
‘presidential decree’).
Civil Ensign of The Falklands Islands (fotw);
Civil Ensign of Gibraltar (CS); Civil Ensign of Guernsey (fotw)
- ROYAL PLATE
- In British Royal Naval usage and some others, the royal equivalent of a flag disc
and used on boats in place of the appropriate royal standard when full ceremonial is
not required (see also ‘flag disc’ and ‘royal standard’ below).
From left: The Plates of The Duke of Edinburgh; The Prince of Wales
and of Other Members of the Royal Family, UK (Graham Bartram)
Please note that in British Royal Navy usage a boat with Her Majesty The Queen on board never carries
a royal plate, but always flies the royal standard which requires full ceremonial.
- ROYAL STANDARD(S)
- 1) That flag, frequently a banner of arms, which signifies the presence and/or
authority of the monarch (see also ‘banner 1)’,
’personal flag 1)’ and
‘presidential standard’ and
‘royal command flag’ – but
see note below).
- 2) In the plural, a term sometimes applied to the flags flown by other members
of a royal family – the queen’s, crown prince’s standard etc.
- 3) In UK military usage, the official name of the state colour of the Grenadier
Guards – but see ‘state colour 2)’.
![[royal flags]](../images/v/vxt-d275.gif)
From left: UK Royal Standard (Martin Grieve); Denmark Royal
Standard (fotw); Crown Prince’s Standard, Japan (fotw)
Please note that this term has been defined in 1) above according
to current UK usage, but should, strictly speaking, only be applied to Royal Standards of the
heraldic pattern as detailed herein under
‘standard 3)’ and
‘standard 4)’, and the term “Royal Banner” employed where more
appropriate (see also ‘banner 1)’).
The Heraldic Standard of King Richard III of England (fotw)
- ROYAL TRESSURE
- See ‘double-tressure’.
- ROYAL WARRANT
- See ‘warrant’.
- RUDDER STRIPES
- See ‘fin flash’.
- RULE OF TINCTURE
- Most authoritative sources agree that good flag design should obey the heraldic
Rule of Tincture, and it is therefore stated in brief here: A colour should never
be placed on a colour or a metal (that is silver and gold in heraldry and generally
white and yellow in flags) on a metal. Metal may, however, be placed on colour
and colour on metal. It is, none the less, strongly suggested that those more
deeply interested in this subject should refer to the entries on ‘tinctures’,
‘metal’ and ‘fur’ given in Appendix III, and to consult
a dictionary of heraldry for a more complete description.
- RULES OF ETIQUETTE
- The rules governing flag etiquette (or the protocol governing flag usage)
vary slightly from country to country, but are stated briefly in
Appendix II (see also
‘flag code’,
‘flag etiquette’,
‘flag law’ and
‘precedence’).
- RULES OF RESPECT
- The rules that govern respect for the national flag may be summed up in a
Golden Rule, which simply stated says that the national flag should be treated
with respect at all times. The particulars of what exactly this respect entails
vary in detail, legal status and extent, from country to country, however, the
general principles remain the same and a full list is given in
Appendix II.
- RUNNING EYE AND TOGGLE
- A traditional method, of hoisting a flag much favoured in European countries,
whereby a rope is sewn into the heading fitted with a wooden toggle at the top
and a loop or eye splice at the bottom that fastens them to their opposites on
the halyard – toggle and becket (see also
‘becket’,
‘eyesplice’,
‘hoistline’,
and ‘toggle’).