Royal Standard of King Kalākaua

Hawai‘i State Archives

A Royal Standard is the personal flag of a reigning King or Queen. The standard is flown or displayed to mark the presence of the monarch. Each Hawaiian monarch beginning with King Kamehameha III had their own royal standard.

King Kalākaua's royal standard consisted of the shield portion of the Kingdom's Coat of Arms set on a white background.

An original Kalākaua royal standard dating from 1881 is preserved at the Hawai‘i State Archives. The standard was unfurled once in the 1960s to assess its condition and to be photographed. Measuring 20x30 feet, the standard had to be suspended from the balcony of ‘Iolani Palace to be opened completely. [see photo] Due to its age and condition, it is now kept under conservation conditions and cannot be displayed.

This immense sized standard was draped opposite the Hawaiian flag on the front of ‘Iolani Palace for state occasions, as in the photograph taken at King Kalākaua’s 50th birthday celebration.