What Color Is Royal Blue? About Royal Blue Color

Are you curious what color is royal blue? Stick around as we share details of this popular color.

Hearing the word royal blue certainly evokes a sense of the majestic and the fantastic. If you think of royalty upon hearing this color, you are not wrong for thinking about the lineage of queens, kings, princes, and princesses from various parts of the world.

As a matter of fact, it gives another meaning to the word royal blood, doesn’t it?

Royal blue is often interchanged with navy color, but this is incorrect, given that there are stark differences between the two if you observe closely. For those who would like to learn more about this hue, read on.

What Color Is Royal Blue?

Royal blue is a deep and vivid color. It is a bright and high-intensity hue recognizable from miles away. Compared to navy blue, which is much darker, royal blue is lighter and more saturated.

Upon closer look, one can see that the deep royal blue shade often bears tinges of purple or red, thus the complexity of the overall color.

Royal blue has had different versions over the years. Apart from royal blue, there are also so-called “lesser-known” versions of the color known as Queen blue and imperial blue.

Of these two, Queen blue has a more subdued tone, while imperial blue bears similarities to navy with its darker hue.

A Brief History of the Color Royal Blue

As mentioned previously, the royal blue color is often associated with royalty. For those who do not know, the name of the color actually originated from England, and the color itself was first used around 1810 to 1820.

The term “royal” lies mainly behind a hue being created for a dress made solely for Queen Charlotte, a consort of King George III, with the clothiers responsible for this creation hailing from Rode, Somerset.

Besides its relationship with royalty, the hue is also very much present in the national flag of the United Kingdom known as the Union Jack.

Psychology Behind Royal Blue

Now that you have a deeper grasp of this color, it is quite clear that the hue has regal implications because of its connections with British rule.

As such, those who wear this color are seen as authority figures or even superiority, which may be why the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the United States changed their uniforms to this hue in 2008 and has seen a rise in airline passengers becoming more compliant.

On top of being considered superior and regal, royal blue is also associated with responsibility, reliability, and trustworthiness. T

his is why many businesses around the world use this in their logos and company colors to foster a sense of trust and honesty between them and their respective clients and customers.

The above point may be related to royal blue’s tranquil and calming properties, leading individuals to focus on the task at hand, especially in professional settings.

While royal blue can symbolize royalty, superiority, and even dependability, it can also be linked to feelings of sadness and depression, particularly when the phrase or saying ‘feeling blue’ is taken to mind.

Royal Blue in Culture and History

The royal blue hue is apparent not only on the Union Jack flag but also on other countries’ flags as well. It appears in the Philippine flag where the royal blue pane is displayed over the red one to mark the country’s state of peace. Reversing its placement would imply that the country is at war.

In addition to the aforementioned, royal blue also appears in the flags of New Zealand, Israel, Georgia, the European Union, the Cayman Islands, and many others.

When it comes to sports, the Birmingham City Football Club makes use of the hue as the official color of their shirts. Because of this, the team has earned the nickname Blues.

In the National Hockey League, the Buffalo Sabres also sport the same color for their uniforms.

With royal blue being able to command discipline, it comes as no surprise that this hue is often used for formal outfits and even uniforms across various industries and institutions.

This hue is also a popular color in fashion due to its versatility. From bridesmaid dresses to suits and everything in between, royal blue remains very much in demand because it suits many skin tones.

Just like in fashion, royal blue is also a prominent tone that is used in interior design. When paired with tasteful neutrals, it can make royal blue seem classic, timeless, and sophisticated.

However, it can also work well with brighter colors such as orange, lime green, yellow, hot pink, and gold.

The Bottom Line

Royal blue is definitely deserving of its title, with all its links to the British throne. We hope you had fun learning more about this color. See you at the next one!