Flags in mourning in New Zealand: directives, funerals and coffins

In New Zealand, mourning is shown mainly by flying flags at half-mast. How long and where depends on the occasion: the death of the Sovereign affects the whole country for days, the death of a former prime minister two days, and a local death only the flags of the community concerned. The occasions for government buildings are set in the New Zealand Flag Notice 2024, and Manatū Taonga – Ministry for Culture and Heritage (MCH) issues a directive and publishes a list of every official half-masting since 2005. How the flag is lowered is described in the guide to half-mast.

The death of the Sovereign

According to the Flag Notice, on the death of the Sovereign the flag flies at half-mast from the announcement of the death up to and including the day of the funeral. The exception is Proclamation Day, when the new Sovereign is officially announced and flags fly from the top of the mast.

The death of Queen Elizabeth II shows how this worked in practice. According to MCH’s list, the flag was half-masted on 9 and 10 September 2022 and again from 12 to 26 September, the day of the New Zealand Memorial Service.

Governors-General and prime ministers

For the Governor-General, a former Governor-General, the Prime Minister or a former Prime Minister, the flag flies at half-mast on the day the death is announced and on the day of the funeral. Examples from MCH’s list:

• the former Prime Minister Jim Bolger, on 16 October 2025 and on 23 October, the day of the funeral
• the former Governor-General Sir Michael Hardie Boys, on 31 January 2024 for the memorial service
• the former Prime Minister Mike Moore, on 3 February 2020 and on 14 February, the day of the funeral.

The Royal Family and heads of state

For a member of the Royal Family, the flag flies at half-mast on the day of the funeral, subject to special command from the Sovereign or the Governor-General. For a Commonwealth governor-general or prime minister in office, or a Commonwealth or foreign head of state, it flies at half-mast on the day of the funeral only. The death of Pope Francis in 2025 was marked on 22, 23 and 26 April, the day of the funeral, and the death of the Māori King Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII on 30 August and 5 September 2024.

Tragedies and anniversaries

The Minister and the Prime Minister can direct half-masting on other occasions of mourning of particular significance. MCH’s list includes:

• the Christchurch earthquake, from 23 February to 12.51 pm on 8 March 2011, and on anniversaries
• the Pike River mine tragedy in 2010 and its tenth anniversary in 2020
• the Christchurch mosque attacks, from 15 to 29 March 2019
• the Whakaari/White Island eruption, from 10 to 16 December 2019
• the funerals of police officers killed in the line of duty and of members of the Defence Force killed in Afghanistan
• the funerals and burials of members of Parliament.

Local mourning

Not every death is a matter for the government. According to MCH, local authorities such as councils can fly their local flag at half-mast after the death of a prominent local citizen, and it is appropriate to do so on the day or part of the day of the funeral. The same etiquette applies to the house flag of a company or organisation. In these cases the New Zealand flag remains at full mast, which clause 8 of the Flag Notice sets out as a rule of etiquette.

The flag on a coffin

According to MCH, any New Zealand citizen may have the New Zealand flag on their coffin. The protocols are:

• The first quarter, with the Union Jack, is draped over the left shoulder of the deceased.
• The flag is removed before the casket is lowered into the grave or, at a crematorium, immediately after the committal.

Mourning and other flags

When the New Zealand flag flies at half-mast, no other flag is flown above it, according to MCH. The order of flags is explained in the guide to flag protocol, and the days of national commemoration in the guide to flag days.