sign ▁to ▁indicate ▁that ▁the ▁ship ▁was ▁armed . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 3 8 , ▁it ▁was ▁decided ▁that ▁private ▁ships ▁contract ed ▁by ▁the ▁Royal ▁Mail ▁were ▁to ▁fly ▁a ▁double - ta iled ▁flag . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁February ▁ 1 8 3 2 , ▁the ▁Royal ▁Swedish ▁Y acht ▁Club ▁received ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁triple - ta iled ▁war ▁en sign , ▁including ▁a ▁centre ▁white ▁field ▁with ▁a ▁golden ▁" O " ▁to pped ▁with ▁a ▁du ke ' s ▁crown ▁( as ▁of ▁ 1 8 7 8 ▁a ▁royal ▁crown ). ▁ ▁On ▁ 7 ▁June ▁ 1 8 9 3 , ▁the ▁Royal ▁Goth enburg ▁Y acht ▁Club ▁received ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁triple - ta iled ▁military ▁en sign , ▁including ▁a ▁centered ▁white ▁field ▁with ▁the ▁golden ▁" G ▁K ▁S ▁S " ▁to pped ▁with ▁a ▁star . ▁ ▁Use ▁outside ▁Sweden ▁ ▁The ▁flag ▁of ▁Sweden ▁appears ▁in ▁coat ▁of ▁arms ▁of ▁Finland ' s ▁province ▁South west ▁Finland . ▁ ▁The ▁flag ▁of ▁Wil ming ton , ▁Del aware ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁is ▁model led ▁after ▁the ▁Swedish ▁flag ▁in ▁rem emb rance ▁of ▁the ▁short - l ived ▁col ony ▁of ▁New ▁Sweden , ▁with ▁the ▁cross ▁aff ixed ▁with ▁the ▁se al ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁The ▁flag ▁of ▁Philadelphia , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁which ▁also ▁lies ▁within ▁historic ▁New ▁Sweden , ▁is ▁a ▁vertical ▁trib and ▁rather ▁than ▁a ▁Nord ic