The flag of Monaco consists of two equal-sized stripes. The upper stripe is red and the lower stripe is white. The red and white colors have been known since 1339, when the House of Grimaldi recognized the principality, but the flag of Monaco was officially approved on April 4, 1881.
These colors are considered to be symbols of positive human values.
The flag of Monaco is not unique. There are others that are similar or even identical to it. The flag of Indonesia(1), the flag of Hesse, and the historical flag of Alsace are exactly the same as the flag of Monaco, so they should not be confused. The only difference between these three flags is their proportions. The flag of Monaco is the largest. If the flags are raised at the same time, you need to look at the proportions to clearly distinguish between them. The officially accepted aspect ratio of the Monaco flag is 2:3.
The flag of Poland(2) has the same colors, but in a different order, i.e. it is a mirror image of the flag of Monaco. The flag of Singapore(3) can also be included in this list: a red stripe on top, a white stripe on the bottom, and a crescent with five white stars in the upper left corner. In this case, it is impossible to confuse the flag, because it has clearly defined symbols that are not on the flag of Monaco.
The flag of Monaco was officially adopted on April 04, 1881. The design dates back to 1881, but the colors were chosen long before that, around the 16th century by the Grimaldi family. This decision was confirmed in Article 7 of the country's constitution in 1962.
The Grimaldi family is of Genoese origin and has several branches. One of which is the branch of the Princes of Monaco. The family currently ruling are descendants of this great Grimaldi family. The family coat of arms is presented in white and red colors. The colors are depicted as rhombuses. The Grimaldi coat of arms inspired the creation of the Monaco flag as we know it today. The use of family colors is a proof of the country's princely status. The meaning of the colors is not precisely defined, but they seem to be the colors of the principality. It should also be noted that the white color on the Grimaldi coat of arms was depicted as silver, but is now represented by white.
Although Monaco has a flag that officially represents the country, it should be noted that it is both a state and a principality. Therefore, it has a national flag and a princely flag. The national flag officially represents Monaco and is therefore displayed on government buildings and police stations. The flag is white with the Monaco coat of arms in the middle. The coat of arms depicts two people, each holding a sword with one hand. The national flag can be seen on the Princely Palace, at the entrance to the Ministry of State, and on official government buildings.
The princely flag is a white cloth with a red monogram of the prince in the middle. Two opposite letters "A" are crowned with a crown. This is the personal flag of Prince Albert II, hence the monogram A. The flag is used only when the prince is present at an event and also accompanies him during his travels, whether in the country itself or in another foreign country. It should be noted that the monogram changes every time the country has a new prince.
