Royal Standard of the Netherlands

The Royal Standard of the Netherlands.

For other monarchs' standards, see Royal Standard.

The Royal Standard of the Netherlands is the official flag of the monarch. This standard is a non-personal distinctive flag for the Sovereign of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Non-personal means that it is not changed from reign to reign.

The Royal Standard is a square orange flag, divided in four quarters by a nassau-blue cross. These colours refer to the principality of Orange (in France) and the principality of Nassau (in Germany) from which the present royal family originates.

In the centre of the flag is the (small) coat of arms of the Kingdom, which originates from the Nassau arms, surmounted by a royal crown and surrounded by the insignia of the Grand Cross of the Military Order of Willem. Each quarter shows a bugle-horn which originates in arms of the principality of Orange.

The Royal Standard is flown above Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague (the King's private residence) and above Noordeinde Palace in The Hague (the King's official residence) when the Sovereign is in the Netherlands, but not necessarily when he is actually resident.

Besides these two residences, the Royal Standard is flown on other palaces, castles or estates where and when the King is actually staying

Standards of other members of the Royal Family

The following members of the Royal Family have personal standards:

Standard	Member of the Royal Family	Description
	Princes of the Netherlands (Sons of Princess Beatrix) Prince Friso and Prince Constantijn	As princes of the Netherlands they use a 5:6 rectangular flag with the Royal standard colours and their maternal arms (the horn of Orange) and their paternal arms (the white tower of Von Amsberg) as difference. The arms of the Netherlands (which originates from Nassau) without the insignia of the Order of Willem within an orange circle.
	Princess Laurentien	As princess, Laurentien uses a square and swallow tailed ones, with the colours of her husband's flag reversed (as consort) and her husband's maternal arms (horn of Orange) in the upper hoist and a reference to her paternal descent (the lozenge from the Arms of Wognum in West-Friesland), in the lower hoist as difference. The arms of the Netherlands (which originates from Nassau) without the insignia of the Order of Willem in the cross.
	Princesses of the Netherlands (Daughters of Queen Juliana) Princesses Beatrix, Irene, Margriet and Christina	As princesses of the Netherlands they use a square and swallow tailed flag, with the Royal standard colours and their maternal arms (the horn of Orange) in the upper hoist and their paternal arms (the rose of Lippe) in the lower hoist. The arms of the Netherlands (which originates from Nassau) without the insignia of the Order of Willem within an orange circle.
	Princes van Oranje-Nassau, van Vollenhoven (Sons of Princess Margriet) Princes Maurits, Bernhard, Pieter-Christiaan and Floris	As princes van Oranje-Nassau, van Vollenhoven they use a 5:6 rectangular flag with the Royal standard colours and their maternal arms (the horn of Orange) and their paternal arms (the white six pointed star of Van Vollenhoven). The arms of the Netherlands (which originates from Nassau) without the insignia of the Order of Willem within an orange circle.

Historical Standards

Standard	Use	Description
	Royal Standard of the Netherlands 1815-1908	The historical Royal Standard of the Netherlands was a rectangular flag with the colours of the national flag with the former version of the Royal coat of arms (without the mantle) in the central band.

Variants for the members of the Royal Family

Standard	Use	Description
	Standard of the Princes of the Netherlands 1898-1908	The former Standard for the Princes of the Netherlands was a flag with the colours of the historical Royal Standard of the Netherlands with the Royal coat of arms in an orange rectangle at the central band.
	Standard of the Princesses of the Netherlands 1898-1908	The former Standard for the Princesses of the Netherlands was a swallow tailed flag, with the colours of the historical Standard of the Netherlands with the Royal coat of arms in an orange rectangle at the central band.

Máxima as Princess of the Netherlands

Standard	Use	Description
	Princess of the Netherlands 2002-2013	As princess, Máxima used a square and swallow tailed flag, with the colours of her husband's flag reversed (as consort) and her husband's maternal arms (horn of Orange) in the upper hoist and husband's paternal arms (the tower of Von Amsberg), in the lower hoist as difference. The arms of the Netherlands (which originates from Nassau) without the insignia of the Order of Willem in the cross.

Prince Claus of the Netherlands

Standard	Use	Description
	Prince-consort of The Netherlands 1980-2002	A quadrangle in Nassau blue bearing an orange cross. First and third quarters adorned by the Dutch Lion of the coat of arms of The Netherlands. Second and fourth quarters adorned by the white castle tower from the coat of arms of the House of Amsberg. Centered upon the cross is the coat of arms of The Netherlands, topped by a royal crown.

Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands

Standard	Use	Description
	Prince-consort of The Netherlands 1948-2004	A quadrangle bearing an orange cross. First and third quarters in Nassau blue, adorned by the Dutch Lion from the national coat of arms. Second and fourth quarters are white, adorned by the five-leafed rose with golden sepals from the coat of arms of the House of Lippe. Centered upon the cross is the coat of arms of The Netherlands, topped by a royal crown.

Sources

• Website: Dutch Royal House. English text about the standard
• Website: Dutch Royal House. Image of the standard in the Dutch language section.
• Website: Dutch Royal House. Standards of the Dutch Royal Family members in the Dutch language section.
• Website: Flags of the World