Parliament flies the flag for three British Overseas Territories

Anguilla

The smallest of the five British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean, Anguilla celebrates the 54^th anniversary of independence from its union with St Kitts and Nevis on 30 May.

The union of the 1830s was unpopular with most Anguillans as it was thought that representation of the island had been neglected. Anguilla finally garnered its status as a British Overseas Territory in 1980 - however, the events of May 30 are celebrated today as the most important step towards Anguilla's autonomy. 

Dorothea Hodge, Anguilla’s representative to the UK, said: ‘Anguilla Day on the island begins with speeches and a parade in honour of the father of our nation Ronald Webster and others, with people wearing the orange and blue colours of our flag.

"Boat racing is our national sport, and we celebrate Anguilla Day with beach parties and a fiercely fought eight-hour round-the-island boat race. In the UK up to one thousand members of the community gather to celebrate in a similar fashion, re-telling stories of the past before celebrating to the sounds of one of our touring bands."

Bermuda

The flag of this archipelago which lies in the North Atlantic 650 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina in the US, tells the story of its discovery in 1609.

The coat of arms first granted in 1635 features the red lion which is a British symbol, reiterating the island’s affiliation with the United Kingdom. The crest features the Sea Venture, the flagship of a seven-ship fleet which set sail on 2 June that year from Plymouth en route to Jamestown Virginia, when it hit a storm and was eventually ship-wrecked off the coast of Bermuda. All 150 people were able to reach shore safely, at what they later named Discovery Bay.

‘Quo fata ferunt’ means ‘Whither the fates carry us.’ The Latin text did not appear on the original flag but was added at a later date.

Kimberley Durrant, Bermuda’s representative to the UK, said: "The Bermuda flag represents a true pride for Bermuda as we are foremost proud to be Bermudians.

"We celebrate Bermuda day on the last Friday of May with a half-marathon in the morning, and a parade in the afternoon, with floats, majorettes and our traditional Gombey dancers."

Turks and Caicos

The two groups of tropical islands that make up the Turks and Caicos are found in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean, almost 600 miles from Miami, in Florida.

The Islanders have a public holiday on the last Monday in May to celebrate the life of their first elected Chief Minister James Alexander George Smith (JAGS) McCartney, who negotiated a new constitution which brought self-determination for the TCI.

Celebrated as the islands’ founding leader, statesman and nation builder, JAGS McCartney died tragically in an airplane crash in 1980. He was 35.

The Turks and Caicos flag features the Turks Head cactus, a spiny lobster and a conch shell - the latter two being local delicacies and national exports.

Tracy Knight, TCI’s representative to the UK, said: "We will be celebrating JAGS McCartney Day with a wreath-laying ceremony, a 21-gun salute by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, and a float parade."

Image credit: UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor