TheRoyal Standard (Spain) (Estandarte Real orEstandarte del Rey) is the officialflag of theKing of Spain. It comprises a crimson square, traditional colour of bothCastilian andSpanish monarchs, with thecoat of arms of the King in the center. It is raised over the official royal residence inMadrid, thePalacio de la Zarzuela and otherSpanish royal sites, when the monarch is in residence and displayed on his official car as small flag. The current flag was adopted whenFelipe VI acceded the throne as King of Spain on 19 June 2014. The Royal Standard is regulated by Rule 2 of Royal Decree 527/2014, 20 June, an amendment to Title II of Spanish Royal Decree 1511/1977 adopting Flags, Standards, Guidons, Insignia and Emblems Regulation.[1]
TheRoyal Guidon (Guión), the military personal ensign, was also adopted on 19 June 2014. It is described by Rule 1 of Royal Decree 527/2014, an amendment to Title II, Rule 1 of Spanish Royal Decree 1511/1977.[1]
It is similar to the Royal Standard except the Royal Guidon has a gold surround. It is made ofsilk's taffeta and measures 80 x 80 cm in size. It is the personal command sign or positional flag of the monarch and traditionally was carried with him. The proportions of the coat of arms are smaller than on the standard.[2]
The heraldic standard, also known as thependón real, has been, as in other European monarchies, the personal flag of the Spanish monarchs and has been used in events of greater solemnity. It was formed by the elements of the monarch's shield without the exterior adornments and has not recovered since its disappearance in 1931.
The royal standard is the personal banner of the monarch. Theguidon, of military use, was formed from the reign of Philip II by the same elements of the standard but incorporating theCross of Burgundy, a fringe and acordoncillo. During the period of theHouse of Austria, the Cross of Burgundy did not appear frequently in the royal standard. TheCatholic Monarchs andCharles I (as monarchs of Castile) used the guidon of the Castilian monarchs, theBanda de Castilla which was a square flag of crimson color in which there was a band between two dragons. The Catholic Monarchs included in the Band of Castile the yoke and arrows which were replaced with theColumns of Hercules during the reign of Charles I.Fernando the Catholic also used the guidon that corresponded to him as monarch of Aragon. The Catholic Monarchs also frequently used, since 1492, a banner that consisted of a white cloth with their coat of arms.
| TheBanners of Arms | ||
| Banner of Arms | Dates | Details |
|---|---|---|
  | 1475–1506 | The banner of arms of theCatholic Monarchs,Isabella I of Castile andFerdinand II of Aragon, whose marriage unified Spain, were on a crimson background:[3] Quarterly, 1 and 4. quarterly Castile-León, 2 and 3. per pale Aragon and Aragon-Sicily. After the 1492 Conquest of Granada, the kingdom was represented in the RoyalArms by the additionenté en point of Granada's arms. The heraldic banner has long been used by theCatholic Monarchs as their militaryensign. |
 | 1518–1556 | In 1504,Archduke Philip the Handsome (King of Castile andLeon by marriage withJoanna) immediately staked his claim to her inheritance by quartering his own arms with those of the Catholic Monarchs, the Spanish quarters were given precedence over his. Hence the arrangement became, quarterly: 1. and 4. grand quarters, quarterly: A. and D. quarterly Castile-León, B. and C. per pale Aragon-Sicily, the grand quarter enté en point for Granada; 2. and 3. grand quarters, quarterly Austria, Burgundy ancient, Burgundy modern, Brabant, with an escutcheon per pale Flanders and Tyrol. In 1518 their sonCharles I of Spain (Charles V asHoly Roman Emperor) adopted a banner of arms that comprised these arms on a crimson background. The arms were crowned with the old royal crown (an open crown). After his election as Holy Roman Emperor in 1519 Charles used more often theimperial banner: A shield with his own arms surmounting a black double-headed eagle on a golden background.[4] |
 | 1580–1668 | During the reign of KingPhillip II the arms of the Spanish Monarchy become fixed for the remainder of theHouse of Austria. Originally Philip II used the simplified arms as devised for his father, namely per fess with the Spanish quarters in chief and the Austrian quarters in base. After thedynastic union withPortugal in 1580, the arms of the Monarchy became per fess, in chief per pale, A. quarterlyCastile andLeon, B. per paleAragon and Aragon-Sicily, the whole enté en pointGranada and with an escutcheon ofPortugal on the honor point; in base quarterlyAustria,Burgundy ancient, Burgundy modern andBrabant, with an escutcheon (in the nombril point) per paleFlanders andTyrol. |
.svg) | 1668–1700 | Even though Portugal and its possessions were lost in 1640, the Spanish kings retained the use of the Portuguese arms as arms of pretence until 1668. |
.svg) | 1700–1761 | The arms ofBourbon-Anjou were added in 1700 whenPhillip V became king of Spain. He introduced changes in theroyal arms of Spain. The king's new arms were designed by the French heraldistClairambault in November 1700, and were as follows: Per fess: 1. per pale, quarterly Castile and Aragon, enté en point Granada, and per pale, Aragon and Aragon-Sicily; 2. Quarterly, Austria, Burgundy ancient, Burgundy modern and Brabant; enté en point, per pale Flanders and Tyrol. Overall an escutcheonAnjou. |
.svg) | 1761–1868 1875–1931 | In 1761Charles III modified the arms as follows: Quarterly of six (in three rows of two each): 1. per pale Aragon and Aragon-Sicily; 2. per pale Austria and Burgundy modern; 3. Farnese 4. Medici; 5. Burgundy ancient; 6. Brabant; enté en point per pale Flanders and Tyrol. Overall an escutcheon quarterly of Castile and León enté en point of Granada, overall Anjou. The royal arms were removed by therevolution of 1868. When the Bourbons were restored withAlfonso XII, a decree (8 January 1875) recovered the coat of arms (and the banner of arms) as it stood until 29 September 1868 as personal arms. In 1930Alfonso XIII, substituted the Aragon quarter withJerusalem. The Spanish Monarch hasn't used a Banner of Arms since 14 April 1931, when theSecond Spanish Republic was proclaimed.[5] |
| Royal Standard or Royal Flag | ||
| Standard | Dates | Details |
|---|---|---|
 | 1475–1492 | The common royalbanner of the Catholic Monarchs, used until 1492, was anoblong white flag with the arms ofIsabella I of Castile andFerdinand II of Aragon in the center with an open royal crown and withoutsupporters. |
.svg) | 1475–1492 | The Royal Standard or Royal Flag of the Catholic Monarchs was a white flag with the arms ofIsabella I of Castile andFerdinand II of Aragon in the center with an open royal crown. The Catholic Monarchs's arms were borne by the eagle ofSaint John, sable. The Bundle of arrows of Ferdinand II of Aragon and the Yoke of Isabella of Castile where shown as external ornaments. |
.svg) | 1492–1506 | From 1492 the conquest of Granada was symbolized by the addition enté en point, a Pomegranate, of a quarter for Granada. |
 | 1556–1580 1668–1700 | The Spanish Monarchs of theHouse of Habsburg used a crimson flag with the royal arms, crowned with a royal crown with three visible arches and theOrder of the Golden Fleece. |
 | 1580–1668 | After thedynastic union with Portugal in 1580 an escutcheon of Portugal was added on the honor point in the royal arms. |
 | 1700–1761 | Philip V introduced in the Royal Standard the changes of theroyal arms of Spain with a royal crown with five visible arches. |
 | 1761–1834 | In 1761Charles III modified the royal arms, added theFarnese andMedici arms. |
 | 1838–1868 1875–1931 | In 1838 the colour of the Royal Standard was modified (crimson toPurpure). |
 | Juan Carlos I used a dark blue background instead of the traditional crimson. The proportions of the coat of arms were reduced. Joined to the shield was the red saltire ofBurgundy and, to the dexter and sinister of the base point, the yoke gules in its natural position with ribbons, of the field, and the sheaf of five arrows gules with the arrowheads inverted and ribbons, of the field, which used to be the symbol of theCatholic Monarchs.[6] | |
The Standard of thePrincess of Asturias (Estandarte de la Princesa de Asturias) is regulated by Royal Decree 979/2015, an amendment to Title II of Spanish Royal Decree 1511/1977.[7]
The Princess's Standard comprises a light blue (the colour of theFlag of Asturias) square flag displaying thecoat of arms of the Prince of Asturias in the center. The Guidon, her military ensign, has a gold surround.
 | Personal Standard ofLetizia, Queen of Spain (Not officialized) |
.svg) | Personal Standard ofSofia, Queen of Spain (Not officialized) |
 | Personal Standard ofInfanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo (Not officialized) |
 | Personal Standard ofInfanta Cristina (Not officialized) |
 | Personal Standard ofInfanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria and Hernani (Not officialized) |
Abanner of arms is a square or oblongheraldic flag that is larger than a pennon. It bears the entire coat of arms of the owner, composed precisely as upon a shield but in a square or rectangular shape.Banners of knights of theOrder of the Garter are displayed during their lifetime atSt George's Chapel inWindsor.[8] From Victorian times, Garter banners have been approximately 5 feet by 5 feet[9] and have a fringe. Reigning European monarchs are admitted to the Order as "Strangers".Juan Carlos I and his successorFelipe VI are concurrently Stranger Knights of the Garter. The Spanish monarch's banner (like thearms) is divided into four quarters: the 1st for Castile, 2nd for León, 3rd for Aragon and 4th for Navarre; enté en point, with a pomegranate for Granada and an inescutcheon with the arms of the regnant House of Bourbon-Anjou. The fringe is golden, as for other foreign monarchs and British Royal Family members.[10]
The castle of Castile, with three windows and narrow, and the Navarrese chains are carefully detailed in both banners, according to the designs displayed in the amendment to Title II of Royal Decree 527/2014 (for King Felipe VI) and the original contents of Title II of Spanish Royal Decree 1511/1977 (for King Juan Carlos).[11][12]
Thetinctures of the pomegranate are changed in the banner of King Juan Carlos,Gules seededOr, and it is carefully designed and coloured in his successor's one,proper (light)seeded Gules. The colour of the lion is so darkly in the case of King Juan Carlos[13] and precise in Felipe VI's heraldic flag.[14] Other Spanish members of the Garter wereAlfonso V of Aragon (1450-†1458),Ferdinand the Catholic,Charles I (1508-†1558),Philip II (1554-†1598),Ferdinand VII (1814–†1833),Alfonso XII (1881–†1885) andAlfonso XIII (1902–†1941).[15]
Personal Standards of former members of the Royal House, and standards previously used by current members of the royal house.
 | Personal Standard ofInfante Carlos, Duke of Calabria |
 | Personal Standard ofInfanta Alicia,Duchess Dowager of Calabria |
 | Personal Standard ofInfanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz |
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