Language and the English Monarchy

There are some interesting facts concerning the language of the rulers of England and its history.

Naturally, the Normans who conquered England in the 11th century spoke French. A handful of monarchs later, the very-soon-to-be Henry the Second married Eleanor of Aquitaine, and thus nearly a third of France became part of the English domains for the next 300 years, with nearly half of France being English at the time. During the 100 years war, English became the official language of the courts and Parliament of England. Over the next 100 years, through war, England lost all its possessions in France.

George I, a King who was raised in Germany, spoke German, and not English. By the end of his reign Parliament was the new ruler of England, and Prime Minister Walpole was the political leader of England, as it has generally been since then.