In 1265, King Henry III gifted the baronial lands of Simon de Montfort to his second son, Edmund, followed by the estates of the Earl of Derby, and the new title of Earl of Lancaster.
In 1267, Edmund received further gifts from his father including lands across Yorkshire and Lancashire and the manor of Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire.
In 1276, King Henry III granted his son Edmund, Earl of Lancaster, a new heraldic crest following Edmund’s marriage to Blanche of Artois, Queen of Navarre. The crest combined England’s three royal lions with a blue label bearing France’s fleur-de-lis—known as a “Label of France.” This marked the first time the symbols of England and France appeared together on one shield, and these arms have represented the Duchy ever since.
Edmund’s inheritance grew further when his mother, Eleanor of Provence, bestowed on him the manor of the Savoy in London in 1284.
There are copies of two original Magna Cartas (1225 and 1297) held on behalf of the Duchy in the National Archives. The first Magna Carta was drawn up in 1215. The text of the 1225 version was entered onto the statute roll in 1297
Edward III elevates Lancashire into a County Palatine and creates Henry of Grosmont as the first Duke of Lancaster.
When Henry died in 1361, the inheritance became part of his daughter Blanche’s dowry. In 1359, Blanche married one of Edward III’s sons, John of Gaunt, who was made the second Duke of Lancaster in 1362. He persuaded his father Edward to grant the Palatinate powers to him and his heirs permanently.
When John died in 1399, King Richard II confiscated the Lancaster inheritance and banished John’s son, Henry Bolingbroke, from England for life. However, within the year, Henry Bolingbroke returned from exile, raised an army and forced Richard to abdicate. He ascended the throne as Henry IV in October 1399.
One of Henry’s first acts as King was to stipulate that the Lancaster inheritance should be held separately from other Crown possessions and should be passed down to his heirs and successors.
However, following the War of the Roses, the bloodline of the historic Lancastrian Kings was broken, and Edward of York became King, taking possession of Henry’s forfeited estates. In 1461, by Act of Parliament, Edward IV declared that the Lancaster inheritance should descend through the Monarchy as a private estate. The phrase from the Act reads “to be held for ever to us and our heirs, Kings of England, separate from all other royal possessions”
Three centuries later, the Crown Lands Act of 1702 stipulated that the Sovereign should only receive income and not capital from the Duchy, an arrangement that remains to this day.
Today, the Duchy of Lancaster is both the custodian of a historic landed estate and a modern asset management organisation, with a strong commitment to responsible and sustainable land ownership.
We manage the Duchy's land and resources in a progressive way that supports people, places and the planet in the long term.
We are committed to a sustainable future guided by three pillars: Planet, People and Performance.
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The Duchy of Lancaster supports three independent registered charities which benefit local communities and help preserve our heritage assets.
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