🇱🇺 The colours of Luxembourg

Luxembourg’s flag features three horizontal bands: red, white, and light blue. These colours come from the country’s historic coat of arms and are officially recognised. Red, white, and blue are widely used as national colours, while a separate Red Lion flag is reserved for ships and aircraft.

Where no official value is given, the swatch shows the colour family, not the exact shade.

• Luxembourg’s flag uses red, white, and light blue in horizontal stripes.
• The colours come from the country’s historic coat of arms.
• The Red Lion flag is used for ships and aircraft.
• The blue on Luxembourg’s flag is lighter than on the Dutch flag.
• Both the tricolour and Red Lion flags are accepted for civil use.

The colours of the flag of Luxembourg

Luxembourg’s flag shows three horizontal stripes in red, white, and light blue. The arrangement is simple, with each colour taking up an equal part of the flag. These colours are officially recognised and are said to come from the country’s old coat of arms. The blue stripe is a lighter shade than that of the Netherlands, which helps distinguish Luxembourg’s flag from its Dutch counterpart. The flag is commonly called 'Rout-Wäiss-Blo' by locals, meaning 'Red-White-Blue'.

National colours of Luxembourg

Red, white, and light blue are used as Luxembourg’s national colours, especially during celebrations like the Grand Duke’s Official Birthday. The Red Lion flag, which features a red lion on blue and white stripes, is used for ships, planes, and sometimes at sporting events. Both the tricolour and the Red Lion flag are accepted for civil use within the country.

How the colours were chosen of Luxembourg

Luxembourg’s colours first appeared around 1830, inspired by the country’s coat of arms, which itself combined symbols from local rulers and banners. The tricolour design was set in 1845, but it took until 1993 for the flag to be officially regulated by law. The Red Lion flag was introduced for ships and planes to avoid confusion with the Dutch flag, which looks very similar. The use of these colours has roots in local heraldry and regional history.

Official shades and rules of Luxembourg

The flag’s proportions are either 2:1 or 5:3, and the blue stripe is officially described as bright blue. The Red Lion ensign, used for ships and planes, has a 5:7 ratio. Laws passed in 1993 set out the details for both the national flag and the ensign, including their colours and when they should be used.