Fact Check
British castle flew Union Jack for VE Day, not flag-raising trend in August 2025
The large Union Flag was draped across Rochester Castle as part of Medway’s VE Day celebrations earlier this year,
An English castle did not drape a giant Union Jack on its facade to participate in a wider trend in August of erecting English or British flags, contrary to online posts.
“Rochester Castle has taken things to the next level! LOVE IT,” said an August 26 post, opens new tab on Facebook, which shared an image of a Union Jack flag draped on the Norman-era structure, opens new tab.
The claim comes after English and British flags have gone up across England in recent weeks. Supporters of the campaign say it is about showing national pride, but others believe it is part of growing anti-immigration sentiment.
However, the castle – situated in Kent, southeast England – had not put up a British flag on its facade as part of the “Raise the Colours” trend, a spokesperson for Medway Council, which is responsible for its day-to-day running, opens new tab, said in an email on August 29.
The photograph used in the social media post appeared online on May 9, 2025, opens new tab.
A day earlier, Britain commemorated the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, which marks Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender at the end of World War Two.
“The large Union Flag was draped across Rochester Castle as part of Medway’s VE Day celebrations earlier this year,” the Medway Council spokesperson added. “It was put up on Thursday, 1 May and taken down on Tuesday, 13 May.”