The flag of Eswatini was adopted on 6 October 1968 after Eswatini (then known as Swaziland) gained its independence from the United Kingdom one month before. The design by King Sobhuza II features a black and white shield called the Nguni shield, with a staff and two spears, on a field of blue, yellow, and red horizontal bands. The red stands for past battles, the blue for peace and stability, and the yellow for the resources of Eswatini.