Color Palettes

Royal blue color

The story goes that it came from a contest to make a dress for Queen Charlotte of England. It's a vivid, saturated blue. It's popular for party dresses, sports uniforms and graduation decor.

Royal blue · #4169E1

About royal blue

Royal blue (#4169E1) is a cool, mid-tone, moderately saturated color. It belongs to the blues family. It mixes 65 red, 105 green and 225 blue (out of 255). It is mostly used in fashion, events, sports.

Royal blue shades and tints

From lightest to darkest. Tap a shade to copy its code.

Colors that go with royal blue

WhiteA clean, crisp contrast.BlackAn elegant, serious look.GoldAdds shine and a festive feel.GrayCalms the blue and makes it professional.YellowA cheerful, sporty contrast.OrangeIts complement, very eye-catching.CamelWarmth and elegance together.PinkA modern, daring mix.
How to wear and decorate with royal blue →

Royal blue color harmonies

Combinations based on the color wheel. More in the color harmony tool.

ComplementaryClose to: Old gold
AnalogousClose to: Baby blue, Deep purple
TriadicClose to: Raspberry, Grass green
Split complementaryClose to: Coral, Apple green
TetradicClose to: Neon pink, Old gold, Pastel green

Royal blue color palettes

Copy the codes or open a palette in the editor to tweak it.

Monochromatic palette · Royal blue
Analogous palette · Royal blue
Complementary palette · Royal blue
Triadic palette · Royal blue
With neutrals palette · Royal blue
With an accent palette · Royal blue

Royal blue contrast with text

White textContrast 4.8:1 · AA
Black textContrast 4.3:1 · AA large text

Based on WCAG 2.1 guidelines. Test other pairs in the contrast checker.

CSS code

:root {
  --royal-blue: #4169E1;
  --royal-blue-rgb: 65, 105, 225;
}
.bg { background-color: var(--royal-blue); }
.text { color: var(--royal-blue); }

Colors similar to royal blue

Electric blueSapphire blueCobalt blueDenim blueKlein blueAmethystGrape purpleLavenderFrench blueUltra violet

More blues

BlueNavy blueSky blueCobalt blueSapphire blueSteel blueElectric blueMidnight blueUltramarineFrench bluePrussian bluePastel blueBaby blueDenim blueKlein blueDark blueLight blueCerulean

Frequently asked questions

What is the hex code for royal blue?

The hex code for royal blue is #4169E1. In RGB it is rgb(65, 105, 225), in HSL hsl(225, 73%, 57%) and in CMYK 71, 53, 0, 12.

What is the complementary color of royal blue?

Its complement on the color wheel is #E1B941, close to old gold. Used in small doses, it works as an accent and adds strong contrast.

Can you use white text on royal blue?

Yes. The contrast with white is 4.8:1, enough for body text (WCAG AA).

What colors go with royal blue?

It pairs well with white, black, gold, gray, yellow. Avoid pairing it with equally intense purples or greens, because they fight for attention. Next to a navy that's too close, it can look mismatched.