Royal Standard of the Netherlands
Encyclopedia
- For other monarchs' standards, see Royal StandardRoyal StandardThe Royal Standard of the United Kingdom is the flag used by Elizabeth II in her capacity as Sovereign of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories...
.
The Royal Standard of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
is the official flag of the monarch
Monarchy of the Netherlands
The Netherlands has been an independent monarchy since 16 March 1815, and has been governed by members of the House of Orange-Nassau since.-Constitutional role and position 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
Orange (colour)
The colour orange occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum at a wavelength of about 585–620 nm, and has a hue of 30° in HSV colour space. It is numerically halfway between red and yellow in a gamma-compressed RGB colour space, the expression of which is the RGB colour wheel. The...
flag, divided in four quarters by a nassau-blue cross
Cross
A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run obliquely, the design is technically termed a saltire, although the arms of a saltire need not meet...
. These colours refer to the principality of Orange
Principality of Orange
The Principality of Orange was a feudal state in Provence, in the south of modern-day France, on the left bank of the River Rhone north of the city of Avignon....
(in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) and the principality of Nassau
Nassau (state)
Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire and later in the German Confederation. Its ruling dynasty, now extinct in male line, was the House of Nassau.-Origins:...
(in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) from which the present royal family originates.
In the centre of the flag is the (small) coat of arms of the Kingdom
Coat of arms of the Netherlands
The Greater Coat of Arms of the Realm, , is the personal coat of arms of the monarch of the Netherlands . The government of the Netherlands uses a smaller version without the mantle or the pavilion or sometimes even only uses the shield and crown...
, which originates from the Nassau arms, surmounted by a royal crown
Crown (headgear)
A crown is the traditional symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a deity, for whom the crown traditionally represents power, legitimacy, immortality, righteousness, victory, triumph, resurrection, honour and glory of life after death. In art, the crown may be shown being offered to...
and surrounded by the insignia of the Grand Cross of the Military Order of Willem
Order of William
The Military William Order, or often named Military Order of William , is the oldest and highest honour of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Order's motto is Voor Moed, Beleid en Trouw...
.
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 Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
(the Queen's private residence) and above Noordeinde Palace
Noordeinde Palace
Noordeinde Palace is one of the three official palaces of the Dutch royal family. Located in The Hague in the province of South Holland, it has been used as the "working palace" for Queen Beatrix since 1984.-From farmhouse to palace:...
in The Hague (the Queen's official residence) when the Sovereign is in the Netherlands, but not necessarily when she is actually resident.
Besides these two residences, the Royal Standard is flown on other palaces, castles or estates where and when the Queen 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 Queen Beatrix) The Prince of Orange Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange is the eldest child of Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus. Since 1980 he is the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. He is also the head of the House of Amsberg since the death of his father in 2002. He was in military service and he studied... , Prince Friso and Prince Constantijn Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands is the third and youngest son of Queen Beatrix and the late Prince Claus of the Netherlands. His godparents are King Constantine II of Greece, Prince Aschwin zu Lippe-Biesterfeld, Axel Freiherr von dem Bussche-Streithorst, Max Kohnstamm, and Mrs. C... |
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 Máxima Princess Máxima of the Netherlands Princess Máxima of the Netherlands is the wife of Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, heir apparent to the throne of the Netherlands.-Early life and education:... |
As princess, Máxima uses 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. | |
| Princess Laurentien Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands is the wife of Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, the third son of Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus of the Netherlands, Jonkheer van Amsberg.-Early life:Petra Laurentien Brinkhorst was born in Leiden on 25 May 1966, the daughter of the former Dutch minister... |
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 Irene Princess Irene of the Netherlands Princess Irene of the Netherlands is the second child of the late Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands.-Childhood and ancestry:thumb|left|215px|Princesses Margriet, Irene, and Beatrix in 1944... , Margriet Princess Margriet of the Netherlands Princess Margriet Francisca of the Netherlands is the third daughter of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands... and Christina Princess Christina of the Netherlands Princess Maria Christina of the Netherlands , Princess of Orange-Nassau, Princess of Lippe-Biesterfeld, is the youngest of four daughters born to Queen regnant Juliana of the Netherlands and her Prince consort Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld.-Birth:She was born Maria Christina at Soestdijk Palace,... |
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 Princess Margriet of the Netherlands Princess Margriet Francisca of the Netherlands is the third daughter of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands... ) Princes Maurits Prince Maurits of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven -External links:* * - References :... , Bernhard Prince Bernhard of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven -External links:* *... , Pieter-Christiaan and Floris Prince Floris of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven -External links:*... |
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 Netherlands1815-1908 | The historical Royal Standard of the Netherlands was a rectangular flag with the colours of the national flag Flag of the Netherlands The flag of the Netherlands is a horizontal tricolour of red, white, and blue. Since 1937, the flag has officially been the national flag of the Netherlands and of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.-Description:... with the former version of the Royal coat of arms (without the mantle) in the central band. |
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Variants for the members of the Royal Family
| Standard | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Standard of the Princes of the Netherlands1898-1908 | 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 Netherlands1898-1908 | 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. |
Prince Claus of the Netherlands
| Standard | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Prince-consort of The Netherlands1980-2002 | 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 of Amsberg. Centered upon the cross is the coat of arms of The Netherlands, topped by a royal crown. | |
Prins Bernhard of the NetherlandsPrince Bernhard of Lippe-BiesterfeldPrince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld , later Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, was prince consort of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and father of six children, including the current monarch Queen Beatrix....
| Standard | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Prince-consort of The Netherlands1948-2004 | 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 of the weapon of Lippe Lippe Lippe is a Kreis in the east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Herford, Minden-Lübbecke, Höxter, Paderborn, Gütersloh, and district-free Bielefeld, which forms the region Ostwestfalen-Lippe.... . Centered upon the cross is the coat of arms of The Netherlands, topped by a royal crown. |
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