The
Red Ensign or "
Red Duster" is a
flag that originated in the early 17th century as an
English ensign flown by the
Royal Navy and later specifically by British Merchant Seamen (
The British Merchant Navy). The precise date of its first appearance is not known, but surviving receipts indicate that the Navy was paying to have such flags sewn during the 1620s. It is currently used as the
civil ensign of the United Kingdom.