The Dutch tricolor evolved from the sixteenth‑century Prince’s Flag of orange‑white‑blue, flown for William of Orange during the revolt against Spain. By the early 1600s the orange band shifted to **red**—likely for dye stability and sea visibility—creating the red‑white‑blue ‘States Flag.’ A royal decree of 19 February 1937 confirmed these colors as the national flag.
The Dutch flag is one of the world’s oldest tricolours and a visual chronicle of the Netherlands’ struggle for independence, maritime ascendancy, and evolving constitutional identity. Its modern red–white–blue bands descend from the sixteenth‑century Prince’s Flag (Prinsenvlag) of orange–white–blue associated with William of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt against Habsburg Spain.
References to the Prince’s Flag appear by 1572, as Dutch rebels in the nascent Republic of the Seven United Netherlands rallied under William’s colors. Orange, the dynastic hue of the House of Orange‑Nassau, signified leadership of the revolt; white and blue came from livery colors and regional heraldry. The flag quickly became a maritime emblem, flying from privateers and warships that challenged Spain on inland waters and the high seas, and it appeared on land in garrisons, civic ceremonies, and triumphal displays.
During the early seventeenth century a gradual yet decisive transformation occurred: orange gave way to red, yielding the familiar red–white–blue. Practical explanations cite the instability of orange dyes that faded in sun and seawater, producing a red appearance. Political readings note that red–white–blue, dubbed the Statenvlag (“States Flag”), emphasized the authority of the States‑General over that of the princely house, aligning with the Republic’s civic institutions. Whatever the balance of causes, by mid‑century the red–white–blue dominated at sea and in official contexts.
The Statenvlag became the ensign of a global trading and naval power. Dutch fleets carried it to Asia, Africa, and the Americas, where it marked fortified posts and merchant convoys of the VOC and WIC. The tricolour’s influence can still be seen in colonial‑era city flags—New York and Albany, for instance—whose designs echo Dutch heraldic palettes and the horizontal bands of the national flag. The Prince’s Flag did not vanish; it resurfaced in moments of Orangist enthusiasm, especially during restorations or royal celebrations, but it never displaced the red–white–blue as the Republic’s signal at sea.
The revolutionary era of the late eighteenth century and the Batavian Republic (1795) cemented the red–white–blue’s status while recasting it in a republican frame. Napoleonic upheavals brought administrative reforms and temporary monarchic experiments, yet the tricolour endured as the shared emblem of the polity. In 1813, with the fall of Napoleon, the Prince of Orange returned, and public debate revived over whether orange should reappear on the national flag. A compromise emerged in custom: the national flag would remain red–white–blue, while an orange pennant could be flown above it on royal birthdays and occasions connected to the House of Orange—a practice that continues today under flag protocol.
The twentieth century introduced new political uses of older symbols. In the 1920s and 1930s, far‑right movements adopted the Prince’s Flag, appropriating its dynastic connotations. To end ambiguity, Queen Wilhelmina issued a Royal Decree on 19 February 1937 formally naming the national colors as red, white, and blue and confirming the horizontal tricolour as the sole national flag. The decree also standardized shades and proportions for consistent manufacture and display, clarifying a centuries‑old custom.
Protocol
now guides public and private use. The flag’s typical ratio is 2:3, with three equal horizontal bands, top to bottom: red, white, blue. It should be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremonially at sunset unless illuminated after dark. On royal birthdays and King’s Day, an orange pennant may be flown above the national flag; the pennant is otherwise not used. On days of mourning, the flag is flown at half‑mast. Municipalities issue circulars specifying flag days and correct handling, ensuring that citizens follow a common etiquette.
At sea, the Royal Netherlands Navy uses the national tricolour as the ensign, perpetuating the Republic’s maritime tradition. Naval jacks and command flags introduce additional symbols, but the ensign remains the red–white–blue. Civil shipping flies the national flag at the stern in port and at appropriate mast positions underway, adhering to international maritime practice.
Interpretations of the colors have multiplied over time. While rooted in dynastic livery and heraldry, modern readings treat red, white, and blue as abstractions of liberty, unity, and perseverance inherited from the revolt. The continued use of the orange pennant preserves a tangible link to the House of Orange without altering the national flag’s settled form. Internationally, the Dutch tricolour’s historical precedence influenced later European and global flags, a measure of its wide visibility in trade, exploration, and statecraft.
By combining republican institutions with a constitutional monarchy, the Netherlands demonstrates how a simple design can hold complex meanings. The red–white–blue is at once a record of revolt, a banner of maritime modernity, and the everyday sign of a pragmatic, open society. Its endurance reflects the Dutch preference for continuity through adaptation—a preference that the 1937 decree merely formalized after three centuries of practice.