Duke of Normandy is a traditional title for the monarch of the United Kingdom. The title dates from the time of King William I, also known as William the Conqueror (see William I, the Conqueror ). The title is now only recognized in the Channel Islands, which were part of the Duchy of Normandy at the time of William the Conqueror. Today the Channel Islands are British dependencies (controlled territories).
William was Duke of Normandy before he invaded England from northern France in 1066. At William’s death in 1087, the titles were divided between his sons. William’s oldest son, Robert Curthose, inherited the Duchy of Normandy with the title Duke of Normandy. William’s second surviving son, William Rufus, became William II, king of England.
William Rufus was succeeded as king of England by his younger brother, as King Henry I. In 1106, Henry seized the Duchy of Normandy from his eldest brother, adding the title Duke of Normandy to that of King of England. By 1205, the English crown had lost most of its French lands, including the Duchy of Normandy, but the English monarch retained the title. The title remains Duke, even when the monarch is female.
