I was browsing through the Wikipedia pages of a few English monarchs and I found this on the page of Henry IV:
Henry's coronation, on 13 October 1399, may have marked the first time following the Norman Conquest when the monarch made an address in English.
What language were the addresses made in before that? Does the language still exist? Are there any modern languages that sound similar/what modern language/s is it closest to?
Thank you.
Edit: I did some more digging. Did they speak this language?
hi! not discouraging other responses here (and I for one would love to hear a recording of Anglo-Norman or old Norman French), but fyi, you can get started on this section of the FAQ
They most likely spoke French or a Norman dialect form of French. Many Norman nobles spoke French as their first language, and it was the language spoken in court.