The Secret History Behind Monaco's Flag
Monaco's flag is almost the same as Indonesia's, and it is much older.
The red and white are the colors of the House of Grimaldi, which has ruled Monaco since 1297. They come from the family's coat of arms, which is made of white and red lozenges. The two-band flag as we know it was officially adopted on April 4, 1881, under Prince Charles III.
Unlike many flags, its colors are not given a symbolic meaning. They simply come from the family that governs the country.
Indonesia's flag has the same two colors, and the main differences are the shade of red and the proportions: Monaco's flag is 4:5 and Indonesia's is 2:3.
The date printed on every Monaco design in our catalog, January 8, 1297, is the date the Grimaldi family took the fortress of Monaco, the start of the dynasty whose colors the flag carries.
Two colors, one family and a twin on the other side of the world.
Looking for a gift with a story? See our heritage gift guide, or read the story behind any other country's flag on our free Flag Stories page.