Charlotte's flag features a blue field crossed by a broad white saltire, and at its center a disc bearing the seal of the city and Mecklenburg County, dated 1775. No crown, though: the city is named in honor of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, queen consort of Great Britain.
"Queen City" is more than a nickname. Charlotte embraces its royal identity while being deeply American. Ironically, Mecklenburg County (where Charlotte is located) issued the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence on May 20, 1775, more than a year before the national declaration. This revolutionary pride coexists with the royal name.
Its real power is financial: Charlotte is the second banking center in America after New York. Bank of America is headquartered here. Wells Fargo has a massive presence. More than $300 billion in banking assets.
This transformation from Southern textile town to financial giant happened quickly. In the 1980s, Charlotte was still dominated by textile mills. Banking deregulation changed everything. Local banks merged, grew, attracted talent, built skyscrapers.
The plain flag, a white saltire and a seal on blue, captures this duality: a queen by name, a capitalist by nature.