🇲🇨 The colours of Monaco

Monaco’s colours are red and white, taken from the heraldic colours of the ruling Grimaldi family. These two colours have been used since at least the 14th century and appear on the national flag, where red sits above white. They symbolise the principality’s long-standing dynastic heritage.

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

• Red and white have been Monaco’s colours since at least 1339.
• The flag’s design is a simple red band over a white band.
• Earlier flags used red and white lozenges from the Grimaldi arms.
• The current flag design was adopted in 1881.
• Monaco’s flag is similar to Indonesia’s but uses different proportions.

The colours of the flag of Monaco

The flag of Monaco is a simple bicolour with two horizontal bands: red on top and white below. Both colours come from the heraldry of the House of Grimaldi, Monaco’s ruling family since the Middle Ages. The flag’s meaning is official and directly tied to this family’s history, rather than to broader ideas or popular associations. The design has remained unchanged since 1881, making it one of the oldest unchanged national flags.

National colours of Monaco

Red and white are Monaco’s national colours, used not only on the flag but also in other official and royal contexts. The princely flag, for example, features the full coat of arms on a white background, and the personal standard of the prince uses white as its base. These colours are closely linked to the state and the royal family.

How the colours were chosen of Monaco

Monaco’s colours have roots in the heraldic traditions of the Grimaldi family, who have ruled since at least 1339. Earlier flags included the family’s coat of arms or a pattern of red and white lozenges (diamond shapes), especially in the 17th century. The current plain bicolour was adopted in 1881 under Prince Charles III, simplifying earlier designs but keeping the same colours.

Official shades and rules of Monaco

There are no official shade specifications for the red and white in the sources, nor are there detailed rules for their use beyond the flag’s proportions, which are set at a 4:5 ratio. The princely and personal standards use white as a base, sometimes with gold fringe, but these are reserved for royal or governmental use.