During the BBC’s Last Night of the Proms on September 13, 2026, EU flags were visibly more numerous than Union Jacks among the crowd at London’s Royal Albert Hall. The shift in symbolism extended beyond the audience, as EU flags were prominently featured during performances, including renditions of *Land of Hope and Glory*, and hung from balconies inside the venue.
The display drew immediate political backlash. Reform UK MP Andrew Rosindell condemned the event, calling it a ‘wonderful evening spoilt by selfish pro-EU fanatics’ and demanding the BBC implement a formal flag policy. Former Conservative MP Jane Stevenson further accused the Proms of being ‘taken over by Remain propaganda pushers,’ framing the visual shift as deliberate political messaging.
Separately, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly (Burnham) engaged with European Council President António Costa in Kyiv on the same day, discussing closer UK-EU ties during Ukraine’s Independence Day events. Cleverly emphasized the need for the UK to be ‘bolder’ in aligning with the EU bloc, proposing expanded defence and security cooperation as part of the proposed alignment.