The coat of arms of the Principality of Monaco and the House of Grimaldi is rich with symbolism. The crown represents the princely sovereignty of the house and principality. The central arms are those of the Grimaldi family, surrounded by the collar of the Order of St Charles, the highest order of knighthood in Monaco and supported by two men dressed as monks brandishing swords. This is a reference to the seizure of Monaco by Francesco Grimaldi whose initial raiding party wore Franciscan robes, hiding their swords underneath, to overtake the guards at the gate. At the bottom is the motto of the Grimaldi Family, "With God's Help".
Before the days of official national flags, the colors most associated with Monaco were simply the colors of the ruling family, in this case the lozenge of the House of Grimaldi.
The official national flag of the Principality of Monaco is red over white, taken from the colors of the House of Grimaldi. The national flag was officially adopted by HSH Prince Charles III on April 4, 1881.
The State Flag or Princely Flag of Monaco is pure white with the Monegasque coat of arms in the center. It is flown by government officials and is used like a princely standard, flying at the Princely Palace and on board the Princely yacht whenever the sovereign is aboard.
The Princely Standard is a pure white flag with the monogram of the Sovereign Prince in the center, topped by a crown. As such it is different for each monarch. It is only used by the Prince and in his immediate presence or on vehicles he is traveling in.
