People from the Crown Dependencies: Do you consider yourselves 'British'/part of the UK?
Posted by Aromatic-Editor-8712@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 138 comments
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GodDamnShadowban@reddit
Knew a guy at surrey uni from the Falklands. 100% considered himself British. Just needed a lift from an RAF plane on the last leg home.
oraff_e@reddit
What was the route he took?
wringtonpete@reddit
The usual route from the Falklands stops at Ascension Island for refueling. I know because my daughter did it this week, on her way back from Antarctica.
Coincidentally I also finished reading a spy / thriller novel called Ascension by Oliver Harris, set mainly on Ascension Island. It's an interesting place, the US contingent there being the US Space Force!
yingdong@reddit
It's a military flight to RAF Brize Norton right?
What did she say about the flight? Curious how different it is to flying with a commercial airline.
itsalexjones@reddit
I’ve done it before to visit. It’s like any other long haul flight. Mine was chartered, so the plane was like any other. The only difference was the stop on Ascension where you have to get off the plane and wait in a fenced off area in the shade until it’s refuelled. Passport control in the Falklands was literally just a couple of people with a stamp at a table. Fantastic place!
yingdong@reddit
Nice! How long did you spend on the Falklands? Did you take some of the local flights to the smaller islands too?
itsalexjones@reddit
About a week IIRC. We didn’t take any of the small planes, mostly just got around by Land Rover. But we did take a short flight on on of Bristow’s Sea Kings which was trippy
Icy_Wolverine_8236@reddit
An RAF base runs as a secure base with a Guardroom. It has both dependents as wives or children as postings of their husband and father. It does not have the same entertainment and meals service. We are there to make sure all the service members and the dependents behave.
Exotic_Progress_3973@reddit
No booze. Meh food. Cabin crew in non snazzy, practical outfits.
Mike_Mac72@reddit
Have they moved on from the 2 hourly Panini heated to 3000 °C that they insist on waking you up for even if they’ve previously been asked to leave you alone? That was normal RAF in-flight catering 10-15 years ago!
wringtonpete@reddit
Yes, Brize Norton. She said it's like a normal flight but a bit more empty and completely plain on the outside. There was even some inflight entertainment, but not much.
mronion82@reddit
My aunt came to the UK from St Helena via Ascension to Brize Norton but they've got the fancy new airport now.
michuneo@reddit
It was an “interesting” investment, super strong winds “discovered” after building an airport in 21st century lol
mronion82@reddit
It was shut for a while recently, the airport failed its fire safety inspection and everyone got stuck.
oraff_e@reddit
I've just had a Google and apparently they land at Brize Norton? Which isn't too far from me, I never realised they flew civilian passengers tbh. I guess I thought it would be through Chile or somewhere
Icy_Wolverine_8236@reddit
It depends as we Royal Air Force had children fly over and back. It is not for civilian passengers as you can fly there if you have a purpose. RAF Brize Norton is a military base for military. It is why the route to Ascension islands as refueling. My husband served there in the war as REME and colleague Simon Weston OBE. My son did three tours of duty to make there IT system as RAF. It is vital to refuel at military bases as an RAF aircraft
Mike_Mac72@reddit
The only civilians really that fly through Brize is Falklands (Brize is basically the RAF’s passenger/freight airport).
The passenger side runs much like a civilian airport regardless of what flights are taking off just with much worse facilities and weirdly complicated procedures. On one memorable trip I (and 200 odd others) had to check in 5 times over 3 days and still were made to be there, for one of only 2 departures that day, 5 hours early.
Equivalent_Try8470@reddit
Yeah it’s like the weirdest school transport ever at certain times of the year.
oraff_e@reddit
Oh right, is that because they send their kids to boarding schools in the UK?
Alternative-Emu2000@reddit
The only secondary school in the Falklands only goes up to GCSE level, so the Falkland Island Government pays to send eligible students to other countries (usually the UK, but sometimes to other countries with comparable education systems eg. New Zealand) for post-16 education, a lot of them go to Peter Symonds College in Winchester.
oraff_e@reddit
That's interesting - what's the percentage of students that go on to college, or even university? ngl I don't even know what the population size of the Falklands is
Alternative-Emu2000@reddit
The population of the Falklands is only around 3,600 (not including members of the Armed Forces and their families), comparable to a large village in the UK.
The number of students going onto post-16 education is usually somewhere between 20 and 40 per year.
wringtonpete@reddit
Yes she landed at Brize Norton.
LeastInsurance8578@reddit
You can fly via Chile or Brazil, there are limited commercial services by LATAM
PassiveTheme@reddit
I just did a (very quick) Google search of the flight and it seems interesting. I couldn't find anything about the cost. I suspect it's subsidised for residents of the Falklands and probably a bit more expensive for tourists.
Mike_Mac72@reddit
I think it’s c.£1.5k return as a paying customer. I was down there as military, there would be about 10%-20% civilians on most flights.
Brewer6066@reddit
Your daughter must do something really cool to be in Antarctica
wringtonpete@reddit
Part of her PhD biochemistry research at Imperial College. She was based in Signy Research Station for a few months, and met a lot of penguins and seals!
bluejeansseltzer@reddit
Dingy
Mike_Mac72@reddit
I spent 6 months down there with the Army. Lovely place (if rather windy). The people are very friendly and fairly aggressively British. Plenty of long memories of the last time it (briefly) wasn’t and they really, really don’t like their neighbours.
Local accent, rarer these days, sounds like a combination of SW England and New Zealand
GodDamnShadowban@reddit
Yes, a distinctive accent. Very contry manor, home counties with a twang of something else.
fredster2004@reddit
Falklands isn't a Crown Dependency
Zeviex@reddit
It's still interesting and relevant. I liked the contribution.
AcceptableCustomer89@reddit
Yes but we know what they mean don't we. We don't have to be facetious
fredster2004@reddit
Not being facetious just pointing out it’s not relevant to the question asked
AcceptableCustomer89@reddit
Sorry, you're right, irritating
RealLongwayround@reddit
You could work on mindfulness.
FearJest@reddit
I'm from Jersey, born from Jersey parents, grandparents etc.... and I don't consider myself British. I feel Jersey has it's own unique identity.
dalbyspook@reddit
Manx. Yes.
richStoke@reddit
Both my sister and I are from the Isle of Man
Alecmalloy@reddit
Do you like liver? Do you like bacon? Do you like liver and bacon? Then come and see my collection on the Isle of Man.
richStoke@reddit
Yes…
Glittering-Round7082@reddit
Tell them about the deviants!
richStoke@reddit
The deviants yes…
Govvag@reddit
Not really, all we seem to get from that lot over there is problems
flyingteapott@reddit
I'm Manx first, and British for the purpose of international travel, and that'll suits me fine.
chiarn86@reddit
Same here
StandardBee6282@reddit
Not many IOM comments here. I’m UK born and bred but been living in IOM for over 20 years. I’d say your average Manx person regards him/herself as Manx but tends to also feel attached to one of the other home nations for things like sporting loyalties. Usually based on where their family originally came from but if they’re Manx going back generations then probably a bit of a random choice.
katvoira@reddit
This exactly - my family has a range of chosen countries by sports, but anything where a Manx person is competing tends to dominate that occasion, no matter whom for!
StandardBee6282@reddit
Oh yes, definitely support Manx people first, me included.
Complete_Bafflement@reddit
Got many good friends from Jersey, and none of them consider themselves British. They’re either Jèrriais, Islanders or “kinda british-ish, not sure”.
enjoyeroflife12@reddit
Most people like that usually have English parents.
Go to the rural areas where people of actual Jersey heritage live, and they are proud Brits.
Shimozah@reddit
My family would be an example of a rural established Jersey family and I wouldn't say they were proud Brits, definitely Jersey first. The scars of the occupation and the treatment of Jerriais speakers in the decades after definitely took the shine off being British.
SmugglersParadise@reddit
Guernseyman here and yes I agree
The mob of comments saying we are basically the same as the UK....
Roll back the Years and Churchill starved the islands during the occupation (WW2) because he didn't want to feed the few hundred Germans on the islands. He actively blocked red cross shipments of food headed for the channel islands. While 30,000 on Guernsey (I don't know how many on Jersey) starved
So yeah, fuck him for that
enjoyeroflife12@reddit
No the islanders did not starve, my grandparents all recall having enough food even though times where tough. Red cross was allowed in to feed islanders
enjoyeroflife12@reddit
The Leaders of the Island where often Jerrais speakers (such as my own family who are semi-elites) it's their fault that the language was marginalized not the British government
Complete_Bafflement@reddit
Well, it’s not like they evangelise their non-Britishness. The only reason it’s come up is because I’ve known them long enough to ask. Don’t know all of their heritage, except for one close friend and both of his parents are from Jersey originally.
visitingshortly@reddit
Your friends are the petty island nationalists (usually compensating in my experience for a lack of deep roots). Most would definitely say British although jersey first (understandably).
Shimozah@reddit
That is a bit out of line. Why the need to jump to insults? A lot of people in my circle are established farming families who rarely leave the island. What exactly do they have tying them to the world outside of Jersey? Usually just family who moved abroad and the occasional visit from a royal.
Obviously we are British from a nationality perspective, for ease of overseas representation due to being subjects of the crown, but if given the option, always identify as Jersey because by saying British, I don't really represent my identity or culture.
Is that petty and nationalistic to you?
Master_Elderberry275@reddit
From Jersey.
I'm British, and Jersey. I'm not English.
Jersey is not part of the UK. UK laws don't apply here unless they are specifically extended, and we have completely separate tax, customs and judicial systems.
We are part of the Realm of the British Crown. Most of the time, no distinction is drawn between the realm of The Crown and the UK, but they're actually slightly different. Jersey is normally treated at the equivalent level to the UK in the structure.
mrpithecanthropus@reddit
So what would happen if the UK abolished the monarchy? Would Jersey owe no allegiance to the UK?
Icy_Wolverine_8236@reddit
If that happened the other countries would invade our island. Who might is Russia as ideal for flight and army conditions. Of course we residents would be then illegal.
Otherwise_Ad6301@reddit
In my military days I spent some time in Ascension. The St Helenians there that I spent time with absolutely considered themselves British.
Lach0X@reddit
Everyone i know from Jersey consider themselves British and I'd say they're more proud of it than most the English people I've met.
After-Dentist-2480@reddit
Proud enough to pay U.K. tax?
enjoyeroflife12@reddit
Why would they pay that when not part of it
After-Dentist-2480@reddit
But they’re so British!
Lach0X@reddit
You do realise Britain is the geographical area and not the "kingdom". You can be British and not part of the UK.
catsaregreat78@reddit
A bit like being European and not being in the EU, you could say.
TheScarecrow__@reddit
Yes, it’s a fact that they’re British
Lach0X@reddit
That's not how dependencies work. When you see how they thrive with all they're own tax going back into their own country its no wonder Scotland wants independence.
After-Dentist-2480@reddit
I’d be delighted for them to be fully independent if that’s what their inhabitants want. Or fully part of the U.K.
Lach0X@reddit
They basically are independent. Think of a dependency like Nato, they go to each others aid if its needed but otherwise happy to stay out each other's way.
Plot-3A@reddit
Oh dear. Are the Jersey flavour of flag shaggers extra buttery then?
Beneficial_Effort595@reddit
I live in Cayman and was raised in Bristol and I am British
NOFEETPLZXOXO@reddit
Bringing brizzle to the caymans are we
wardy25427@reddit
One of my work colleagues is from the caymans, came here to study and now works with me. He definitely considers himself British
ravesant@reddit
My Nan is from Jersey. Moved all our family to England over 50 years ago. Refuses to call herself British and makes sure to get a Jersey passport every time! 😄
KiwiNo2638@reddit
From what I remember, the people of jersey align closer to English than British. I was born in Jersey, lived most of my first 25 years in Wales , and have lived the last 25 years in England. I'm Welsh, then British.
Shimozah@reddit
The largest immigrant population in Jersey are from the UK. Per the last census in 2021, 50% of the population were born in Jersey, 29% were born in the British Isles. A good chunk of that 50% will also be born to immigrant parents.
44.4% of the population self declared their ethnic/cultural background as Jersey, 30.5% as British, so people of Jersey more closely align with being Jersey per the stats. When you find the sentiment that someone is English / UK / British first, I'd say it is highly likely they are likely immigrants, or Jersey born children of immigrants. The culture is different (even if only slightly) between these groups.
Jersais@reddit
Born on the Bailiwick of Jersey, so British I guess.
HW90@reddit
I'm from Guernsey. Lived in the UK for about 10 years then moved to Singapore for the last few years.
I would identify as British and Guernesiais, leaning more into either depending on the circumstances.
UK? British first, in a similar way to how second or third gen immigrants don't identify as English but will identify with British, and with the similar qualifier that my heritage is Guernesiais. A lot of people in the UK can get a bit confused why I seem so British/English but then there are certain characteristics about me which are a bit uncanny, so there's a certain point where it's important to explain how different things are there.
Mainland Europe? Guernesiais, easier to explain why my French ability is decent but my accent and vocab are a bit weird, provides some distancing from the reputation of Brits.
Singapore and most other countries? British first, but sometimes people ask where in the UK and I clarify further.
I think most British people who experience and understand Guernsey culture and politics (and probably Jersey, Isle of Man, etc) would feel it's, for lack of a better word, Americanised. These jurisdictions are highly dependent on the finance industry combined with an older age bias and so politics is rather Thatcherite in nature. Culture has also been "Britishised" in a similar way to how British culture has become Americanised.
Also worth noting that because I lived in the UK for so long I have a UK passport instead of the Guernsey one. That has some consular benefits because it's easier to recognise as real and many countries don't treat Guernsey or other crown dependency passport holders in the same way as they treat UK passport holders.
Fit_Swordfish5248@reddit
Had a guy in my school from Gibraltar. He was definitely British, pretty tanned fucker he was.
Kooky-Grapefruit-941@reddit
Funnily enough a lot of the power people there have really Spanish names but speak really posh English
Fit_Swordfish5248@reddit
His Surname was Perez funnily enough but did speak perfect English. His whole family did.
Gisschace@reddit
Yea my friend is from Gibraltar, she’s fluent in spanish, all dark haired, loads of Maria’s in her family, grandmother makes octopus for Sunday lunch, but don’t you dare call her anything but British
Islingtonian@reddit
But does the octopus come with gravy tho?
Justfree20@reddit
Mediterranean-flavoured British ☺️.
I've never had octopus, or seen much appeal to it, but the idea of it working as a mains for a roast dinner has piqued my interest
Puppygirl621@reddit
Gibraltar isn't a crown dependency, its a overseas territory.
Fit_Swordfish5248@reddit
To be honest I wasn't sure it was a crown dependency but I'd be lying if I said I knew what the difference was.
LuKat92@reddit
Crown dependencies are as independent as their population will allow (basically independent except for foreign policy) while Overseas Territories are more controlled by the UK government
feetflatontheground@reddit
I think most of the Overseas Territories are self-governing.
richStoke@reddit
Gibraltarians are so proud to be British….
oraff_e@reddit
I guess when you’re from a tiny place like Gibraltar or the Falkland Islands that are effectively surrounded by a foreign nation, you hold more tightly to your national identity
Elster-@reddit
A school friend is from Bermuda and boarded at school and flew back during holidays.
After he finished university he went back to Bermuda and hasn’t left apart from holidays since. His kids also will say they are British.
Master_Elderberry275@reddit
From Jersey.
I'm British, and Jersey. I'm not English.
Jersey is not part of the UK. UK laws don't apply here unless they are specifically extended, and we have completely separate tax, customs and judicial systems.
We are part of the Realm of the British Crown. Most of the time, no distinction is drawn between the realm of The Crown and the UK, but they're actually slightly different. Jersey is normally treated at the equivalent level to the UK in the structure.
ZaharaWiggum@reddit
British, I mean we’ve won a gold for Team GB in the Olympics.
Puppygirl621@reddit
I'm from Jersey, I don't consider myself British, but most people do.
Playful-Marketing320@reddit
Why?
Puppygirl621@reddit
Don't like the mainland and I don't like laws passed in parliament claiming to have power over us, we're tied to the crown not parliament thats why we were royalist in the civil war. Also, mainland food sucks and the people are transphobic.
Jeffuk88@reddit
I dont think the Norman's were as progressive as you'd like...
Puppygirl621@reddit
name ends in 88
horoscopical@reddit
They literally do have power over you.
And the King says Parliament has power over you.
Puppygirl621@reddit
If the kings gonna disrespect our loyalty then he deserves the same fate we gave Godwinson.
AceOfSpades532@reddit
Mate it’s not 1066 anymore, you didn’t give Godwinson any fate
Playful-Marketing320@reddit
Very big assumption about 50m+ people. People who inline in Jersey are not much different from any of us.
Aarityli@reddit
this is likely someone who has absorbed a very specific and sweeping view of the world, and in order not to feel guilty about being british, has constructed an incredibly niche and petty micro identity in order to claim a sense of personal victimhood
TuffB80@reddit
You do realise that just cos someone disagrees with you doesn’t make them transphobic right?
Puppygirl621@reddit
I never said that sweetie <3
chebster99@reddit
Modern British cuisine is excellent despite what the Americans believe. And to claim that we are transphobic is absolutely nuts.
Puppygirl621@reddit
https://www.lemkininstitute.com/red-flag-alerts/red-flag-alert-on-anti-trans-and-intersex-rights-in-the-uk
chebster99@reddit
Right, you’re using a court decision on a specific piece of legislation to try and claim that British people as a whole are transphobic? You are ridiculous.
Clear_Mode_4199@reddit
You know that the majority of British people are not transphobic though right. And many British people are themselves trans. I really can't imagine that the cultural environment in Jersey is that different in this regard.
Clear_Mode_4199@reddit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splitting_(psychology)#
Playful-Marketing320@reddit
Very big assumption about 50m+ people. People who inline in Jersey are not much different from any of us.
Ynys_cymru@reddit
I think you need to travel more
Puppygirl621@reddit
I've travelled quite a lot, visited about 20 countries, and I've gone a decent bit about the UK, do need to see more of the north of England though. I quite like the Hebrides for whats its worth.
CommercialPizza434@reddit
“Mainland food sucks” is a crazy statement when you can literally have Indian on one corner, Italian on the other. Chinese on the opposite road and Caribbean opposite that. Then sushi, African good. Of course not to mention classic British options - fish and chips, roast dinners. As for the transphobia that’s equally crazy when you looked at anti discrimination laws that we have alongside ability to transition 🤷
TuffB80@reddit
Now there’s a sweeping statement
Competitive_Rub_9590@reddit
Out of curiosity, what nationality do you class yourself as?
Puppygirl621@reddit
Norman :)
NoFewSatan@reddit
And what nationality?
Acrobatic-Shirt8540@reddit
Bérgéracois?
BPTempMonkey@reddit
Took me way too long to get that, good job 👍 😂
Ok-Switch242@reddit
Jacketistani
enjoyeroflife12@reddit
Yes but most actual jersey beans do. Especially the old Jersey cohort.
There are some Larpers around St Heleir (who usually have English or Irish parents) who might have anti British attitudes.
But Jersey pride and nationalism is right wing and pro British unlike Scotland or ireland.
Source: My surname is very old Jersey and one side of my family are entirely descended from Jerrais speakers (apart from a few Guernsey and French immigrants)
Puppygirl621@reddit
I have a confession, only my mothers side is from Jersey, my fathers side's a buncha filthy Lapins. But I am local, I'm not from town, and I'm certainly not right wing and pro british, euck, gross. You seem weird and bitter, St Ouens?
No-Citron-2911@reddit
(Jersey) It depends. In my generation there are a lot of 2nd gen immigrants from Portugal, Madeira, Poland, Ireland, Scotland who don't consider ourselves British. The old Jersey families don't really either for the most part, they'd see themselves as Jerrias (though most would support England over France in sports). Mostly those that do consider themselves British are people with parents from England (and Scotland/Ireland depending on their stance on independence)
FinancialBread4660@reddit
I’m from Jersey and consider myself British.
Pandavia@reddit
I'm Jersey born, but parents from Scotland.
I'd say I'm from Jersey in the first instance, but definitely consider myself British (and "Scottish but obviously not fully).
I do however love Jersey's unique identity and connections to Normandy
horoscopical@reddit
The Channel Islands aren't part of the UK. That's not up for debate. The UK is a defined place and the Channel Islands aren't part of it.
oraff_e@reddit
I feel like their question was asking how closely aligned Manx & Channel Islanders are with the UK in a cultural/national identity sense, rather than a political sense tbh
While they're not part of the UK, the people there are British citizens and hold British passports. "Do you feel British" is a reasonable question to ask.
AdmRL_@reddit
They're clearly aware?
Aromatic-Editor-8712@reddit (OP)
I'm aware. As I said in my post, I know that the Channel Islands aren't in the UK, I just wondered how people from the Islands (as well as the Isle of Man) see themselves.
Shimozah@reddit
I'm a Jersey person and I would definitely consider myself Jersey first, then British. As for part of the UK, not at all. I see travel to the UK as going abroad.
oraff_e@reddit
I don’t think this could be considered an offensive question tbh - I work in statistical interviewing and I’m always surprised by the number of people who don’t understand the difference between the concepts of citizenship, ethnicity and national identity. This is a great question!
newnortherner21@reddit
My grandmother and her parents/siblings were all born on Guernsey and very much considered themselves to be British.
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