England Flag Template

When was the England flag first used?

In 1188, Henry II of England and Phillip II of France agreed that England would be represented by a white cross, and France by a red cross, but at some point, the English began using a red cross instead - the exact reasons for this are unknown!

When and how was the England flag incorporated into the Union Jack?

In 1603, England and Scotland were united with the Union of the Crowns - when Elizabeth I died, her cousin, James VI of Scotland, also became James I of England. The Saint George's Cross was combined with the flag of Scotland, the Saint Andrew's Cross, to make the first version of the Union Jack. In 1801, Saint Patrick's Cross was also included to represent Ireland.