In 1903, Lord Curzon, the British Viceroy and Governor-General of India visited Kuwait, and Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah received him and raised a red flag with white words, توكلنا على الله (We trust in God) in Arabic writing.

This avoided the diplomatic faux pas, given Kuwait was under British protection, of raising the Ottoman flag.

The colours' meaning came from a poem by Safie Al-Deen Al-Hali: Rules of hanging and flying the flag: In 2005, it became the design of the world's largest kite at a size of 1019 square metres.

The flag can also appear to resemble the corner of a room, with the green and red being the ceiling and floor, and mismatched black and white walls.

The current Emir of Kuwait has a personal royal standard, which is the national flag with a yellow crown on the green stripe.