There are established rules of etiquette, both by custom and law that concern the flying of flags in general and The Bahamas Flag in particular.

1. The National Flag of The Bahamas is flown between sunrise and    sunset. If flown at night proper lighting is required. 

2.  No flag shall take precedence over the National Flag.

3.  The National Flag, when carried in parade, is never dipped. Care must be taken that the National Flag does not touch the ground as this is would dishonour the flag and all it represents. In a parade when more than one flag is carried the National Flag is carried in the centre or on the LEFT as spectators would view it.

4.  The National Flag is flown at half staff only when so directed by the Cabinet Office or the Governor General.

5.  When two flags are flown, the National Flag is flown on the LEFT flag pole facing the viewer.

6.  When two flags are flown together the National Flag is hoisted first and taken down last.  The National Flag is the symbol of sovereignty and thus it must be hoisted before all other flags and taken down only after all other flags are taken down.

7.   No foreign or commonwealth flag can be flown in The Bahamas unless the National Flag of The Bahamas is also flown in an equal or superior manner.  This regulation does not include foreign embassies, commonwealth high commissions or consulates.

8.   The National Flag of The Bahamas is not flown at sea, but more properly, the Bahamas Red Ensign is flown in its place and from the stern of the vessel or other place of honour. The Defence Force and unarmed government vessels fly the ensign proper to them. The National Flag of The Bahamas is flown as a jack at the bow on Bahamas' Defence Force vessels only when not underway.

                                                                    Queen's Bahamas' Flag

                                                                  Governor General's Flag

   Prime Minister's Flag

9.    The personal flags of  Her Majesty The Queen of The Bahamas, the Governor General of the Bahamas and the Prime Minister of The Bahamas(shown above) are flown according to existing rules and as such are flags personal to them, flown only by them and to indicate that these persons are "present". The flag of Her Majesty and flag of the Governor General are never dipped and never half masted.

10.   Flags that are frayed or discoloured should be removed and discarded with reverence.

11.   No symbol, words or other thing should be placed on The National Flag to deface it unless permission is granted from the Cabinet Office.  The National Flag is defaced with the symbol of the parliamentary mace on the prime minister's flag and it is also defaced with the national coat of arms in the fly on cabinet minister's and diplomatic officer's rank flags. These defacements however are with proper authority and do not dishonour the National Flag.

12.   Persons who are near or present when the National Flag is raised or lowered should stop, come to attention, and remain so until the Flag is either raised or lowered as the case may be.

The Bahamas Red Ensign is flown by all non-government vessels in Bahamian waters and by all ships, of whatever size, licenced or registered in The Bahamas - from mailboats to cruise ships. Also foreign boats fly this flag or ensign (pronounced N-SUN) while in The Bahamas as a courtesy flag in recognition of Bahamian sovereignty. The National Flag is not proper for use at sea.

This is the flag or ensign (pronounced N-SUN) of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force. This ensign is flown on all Defence Force vessels and at Defence Force bases.  Only the Defence Force flies this flag or ensign. It is flown from the stern of Defence Force vessels. The National Flag of The Bahamas is only flown on Defence Force vessels as a "Jack Flag" on the bow of the vessel when the vessel is not underway.

Remember, flags flown at sea are called ensigns not flags.

TITLES OF HONOUR IN THE BAHAMAS

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE BAHAMAS

The Royal Style and Title in The Bahamas

Elizabeth The Second, By The Grace of God, Queen of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, and of Her Other Realms and Territories, Head of The Commonwealth

"Her Majesty"  never Her Royal Highness

Members of The Royal Family who are Princes or Princesses or Royal Dukes

"His or Her Royal Highness"

GOVERNOR GENERAL AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF

Her/His Excellency and the spouse of the GG is also styled "Excellency" Our current Governor General also has the title "Honourable" and is addressed as His Excellency The Hon Arthur D Hanna.

FORMER GOVERNORS GENERAL

No official title is given a former governor general, however in Bahamian practice the form "Excellency" is often unofficially retained as a courtesy

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE AND PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE

The Speaker of The House is addressed as "Mr Speaker" and is accorded the title "Honourable".  The President of The Senate is addressed as "Mr President" and is given the title "Honourable".

PRIME MINISTER AND MEMBERS OF THE CABINET

The title "Honourable" is used while holding office. In some instances this title has been granted to distinguished personages for life.  In January 2004 Her Majesty conferred the title "Right Honourable" on Prime Minister Christie. This title indicates he is now a member of the Queen's Imperial Privy Council. The Imperial Privy Council was originally the Queen's Private Council which assisted the Sovereign in governing Great Britain. Today, the privy council is largely an honorary group of distinguished persons from Britain, the Commonwealth and the world. It is a great honour to be considered a privy councillor. Two committees of privy councillors still perform important functions. The British cabinet is a "committee" of the privy council and the "judicial committee" of the privy council comprises distinguished judges who serve as the highest court of appeal in Britain and several Commonwealth nations including The Bahamas.

The title Right Honourable is conferred for life. Dame Joan Sawyer, president of the Court of Appeal was given this title in July 2004. See below. 

Both the Prime Minister and Dame Joan Sawyer append the letters P.C. after their names. The letters PC preceed MP in the prime minister's case.

MEMBERS OF THE SENATE

Senators are styled "Senator, The Honourable". 

MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

Members of the House of Assembly, that is, Members of Parliament, are addressed as Mr, Mrs, or Miss, or Dr unless they have another title such as and order of knighthood.  The initials M.P. are placed after their names.

CHIEF JUSTICE AND JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT AND

THE APPEAL COURT OF THE BAHAMAS

The title Honourable is accorded to them. On the bench they are addressed as "My Lord or My Lady/Your Ladyship or Your Lordship"  In July 2004 Dame Joan Sawyer, President of the Court of Appeal was appointed a member of the Imperial Privy Coucil by The Queen.. She is now "The Right Honourable" Dame Joan Sawyer.

CIRCUIT AND STIPENDARY MAGISTRATES

When sitting, all magistrates are addressed as "Your Worship".

FAMILY ISLAND ADMINISTRATORS

When sitting as local magistrates they are addressed as "Your Worship".

CHIEF COUNCILLORS OF FAMILY ISLAND DISTRICTS

Chief Councillors are not given a particular form of address or title, but by virtue of their office they are Justices of The Peace and may append the initials J.P. after their name.

FOREIGN AMBASSADORS AND COMMONWEALTH HIGH COMMISSIONERS

The international style for foreign Ambassadors and Commonwealth High Commissioners is "Excellency".   British Commonwealth countries do not send ambassadors to each other but rather send "High Commissioners". However, a High Commissioner is equal in rank to an Ambassador. Bahamian citizens would not properly call a Bahamian Ambassador or a Bahamian High Commissioner "Excellency" as this title is reserved for the Governor General. However, in practice it is sometimes used as a courtesy.

THE ANGLICAN BISHOP

The Anglican Bishop of Nassau and The Bahamas is properly addressed as "My Lord". However, the current Anglican bishop is also Archbishop and Primate of the West Indies and thus he is addressed as "Your Grace" and is given the style "Most Reverend". He should never be addressed as "Reverend".  The Anglican suffragan bishop is addressed "My Lord" and styled "Right Reverend". Again, he is never styled  "Reverend".

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP

The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Nassau is addressed "Your Grace" and styled "Most Reverend". He is never addressed as "Reverend". 

BAHAMAS ORDER OF MERIT

Rarely conferred, this Bahamian Order recognises good citizenship and outstanding merit by Bahamians. The Order is conferred by the Governor General, the Queen's representative.  The letters, B.O.M. follow the surname of a holder of this honour.

ROYAL, PAPAL AND FOREIGN ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD

Persons given an order of knighthood are styled "Sir" such as "Sir Gerald". Never is a knight styled using their last name such as "Sir Cash". The wife of a knight is styled "Lady" and her last name only. For example "Lady Cash".  A woman who is given an order of knighthood in her own right is styled "Dame" such as "Dame Ivy Dumont", the title preceeding her frist name but never is she called "Dame Dumont".  The husband of a Dame is given no title. Orders of knighthood are conferred by Her Majesty The Queen and also by the countries of France, Spain, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy and the Vatican City State. There are several Bahamians who have been awarded knighthoods by Her Majesty and also several who have been honoured by Pope John Paul II including Chief Justice Sir Burton Hall who is a knight bachelor (Queen Elizabeth II) and a Knight of St Sylvester(Holy See/Vatican). The late Sir Etienne Dupuch was a knight bachelor(HM The Queen) and a papal Knight of St Gregory The Great(Holy See/Vatican) an honour from Pope Pius XII.. A few Bahamians have also received knighthood in the Order of Malta (Sir Etienne Dupuch and Cyril St John Stephenson) and the French Legion of Honour(France) and also in the Venerable Order of The Hospital of St John(Great Britain). The title "Sir" is prefixed to the Christian name of a holder of a British order, but in The Bahamas it has been unofficially used as a courtesy towards anyone given a legitimate knighthood.

TITLES OF NOBILITY

Bahamian citizens have not been given titles of nobility from The Queen. A knighthood is not a title of nobility but rather a very high honour from Her Majesty recognising good citizenship, outstanding merit and excellence.  The holder of a noble title is called a lord, and is a member of the British House of Lords, and is styled a baron, earl, count, marquess or a duke. While some Bahamas' Royal Governor's in the past have been given the title of  Lord  as an "Earl" or "Baron", these titles were not conferred on Bahamians. (for example, The Earl of Ranfurly who began the Ranfurly Home was Governor in the 1950s)  The Royal Governor with the highest title of nobility was His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor, the former King of the British Empire who abdicated the British Throne in 1936 to marry a twice divorced American woman. Sent to The Bahamas by his brother, who was the new king, the Duke of Windsor was royal governor during World War II between 1940 and 1945. Her Grace The Duchess of Windsor was active in the Bahamas Red Cross and was largely responsible for refurbishing and re-modelling Government House. The Duke died in France at his home in 1971.He is buried at Windsor Castle in England. His wife, who died several years later, was buried next to him.

No Bahamians have received noble titles from any other country.