- When a flag is lowered to half-mast it should first be hoisted all the way to the top of the pole and then lowered.
- Flags should not be flown half-masted on a wall-mounted pole that is more than 45 degrees from vertical, a suitable alternative is the addition of a Mourning Cravat.
- When being lowered from half-mast the Union Flag should be raised again to the top of the pole before being lowered.
- Strictly speaking, the half-masting of flags is at the command of the Sovereign but it is unlikely that the lowering of the Union Flag as a mark of respect would be objected to.
An important piece of half-masting protocol is that the Royal Standard should never be lowered as it represents the Monarchy, which is continuous so it is not appropriate to use this flag.
