France's new blue: Which countries in Europe also changed their flags?

Earlier this month, aides of President Emmanuel Macron revealed that the shade of blue used in France's national flag has changed.

More than that, the switch took place over a year ago – and nobody had noticed.

The blue in France's tricolore had been adjusted to a darker navy in a subtle, but significant shift.

Now the shade sits closer to that of the flags used in the French Revolution. Officials describe the change as a "more elegant" adjustment.

Flag changes don't happen often in Europe, but when they do it can be the mark of serious historical events, political changes, or just pure aesthetics back and forth.

Here are some of Europe's most significant flag changes over time.

It's no wonder the people of France didn't notice the colour change.

France have used lighter and darker tones of blue for decades, depending on the occasion.

However, this is the first formal colour change since 1976, when President Giscard d'Estaing switched the palette up to align closer to the blue of the European Union's flag.

This is an interesting example of good old colour theory coming into play. Notice how the red on the new flag looks deeper, almost? It's not – the new blue is doing all the work there.

Greece was one of the first countries in the world to use flags in any representative sense, but this wasn't without a multitude of teething issues.

They simply weren't something on the radar for ancient civilisations.

Several unofficial flags were distributed during the Ottoman period, including a red and yellow Byzantine double-headed eagle.

Proposals for Greece's first proper flag was proposed by Greek writer and political thinker Rigas Feraios as part of proposals for a pan-Balkan federation in 1797.

As you can see, it differs wildly from the