Flag of Rhodesia - Flag of The Governor of Southern Rhodesia

Flag of The Governor of Southern Rhodesia

The flag used by the Governor of Southern Rhodesia followed the usual pattern for representatives of the British Crown. It consisted of a defaced Union Flag (Union Jack) with a white disc in the center of the flag. Within the center of the disc was the shield from the Southern Rhodesian Coat of Arms. This flag was not used during the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) years and became obsolete when the post of Governor disappeared after the independent Republic of Zimbabwe came into being in 1980.

In most of the British colonies the flags used by the Sovereign's representative usually followed the same general design. In Southern Rhodesia, the Governor was appointed by the Crown and acted as the local head of state, receiving instructions from the British Government. The Governor was also Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and as such, in theory at least, exercised considerable influence over the running of the colony and its government. In practice, however, the Governor's main function was to maintain a satisfactory relationship between the British and Southern Rhodesian Governments and acted in an advisory capacity most of the time.

In Southern Rhodesia, the Governor initially flew a Union Flag with a white roundel in the centre charged with the shield from the colony's arms granted on 11 August 1924. Unique among the flags of the Governors of British Colonies, this shield of Arms was not surrounded by the customary wreath. Southern Rhodesia became a British Colony on 12 September 1923. This flag was put into use on 1 October 1924 and was flown until 30 July 1951.

On 31 July 1951, a new flag was put into use for the Governor of Southern Rhodesia. This was dark blue and charged in the centre with a Royal Crown, its height being four-sevenths of the hoist. Initially the Tudor Crown would have been used, but after her accession to the throne in 1952, Queen Elizabeth II indicated her preference for St Edward's Crown and this version would have been used thereafter. Like its predecessor, this flag did not conform to the usual pattern of the flags used by British Colonial Governors which was to have dark blue flag charged in the centre with the Royal Crest above a Crown, with the name of the Colony or Dominion written in a yellow scroll below. The reason for Southern Rhodesia not conforming to this pattern is probably explained by the unique Constitutional Status of the colony, having attained 'Responsible Government' in 1923, but not being a fully fledged Dominion.