The fact that it is broken is meant to represent the breaking of colonial rule in Barbados and independence from the British Empire.

After Prescod's design was selected as the winner of the contest, he was asked to make several flags as a personal request from Errol Barrow, the nation's first prime minister.

[2] After control was retaken by the United Kingdom from 1962 to 1966, following the dissolution of the West Indies Federation, the Barbadian legislature made their case for independence.

[3] The design of the flag was created by Grantley W. Prescod, an art teacher,[4] and was chosen as the winner of an open competition arranged by the Barbados government and judged by seven individuals.

[6] He was awarded a $500 cash prize, which was donated to a popular newspaper publishing company, a scroll from the Barbadian government, and a gold medal.

The first of these consisted of a yellow field with a blue circular disk containing the letter "E" and a crown in the centre, surrounded by gold roses; this device is displayed on Elizabeth II's personal flag.

[1] This logo is placed atop a giant bearded fig (Ficus citrifolia), and a pride of Barbados flower (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) is displayed in each upper corner.

[12] The standard of the president is noticeably simpler; it consists only of a dark navy field with the coat of arms in the centre, surrounded by a wreath of gold flowers.