Did you know?

St George became the Patron Saint of England in 1348 when Edward III put the great Order of the Garter under the banner of St. George

For hundreds of years St George’s Day was a national feast day, celebrated on a par with Christmas

English Army regiments still mark St George’s Day with great ceremony, calling on the legend of St George, who is thought to have supported English troops on the battlefield

In 1940 King George VI created an award for acts of the greatest heroism or courage in circumstance of extreme danger. The George Cross bears the image of St George vanquishing the dragon

The bonnet of the Queen’s favourite Rolls Royce bore the emblem of St George slaying the dragon

Shakespeare was born on St George’s Day, 23rd April 1564, and died on 23rd April 1616, having penned the most famous of battle cries ‘God for Harry! England, and St. George!’

England shares its patron Saint with Portugal, Ethiopia, Catalonia and parts of Italy. Many of these places have their own celebrations and ceremonies in his honour

There has been a national call to make St George’s Day a national holiday once more in England