Final answer:
After the Norman Conquest in 1066, the English kings primarily spoke Norman French, the language of the newly established Norman aristocracy, which was different from the Old English of the Anglo-Saxons and the Latin of the Church.
Step-by-step explanation:
Post-conquest England witnessed a profound cultural and linguistic shift with the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Norman invaders, led by William the Conqueror, replaced the Anglo-Saxon elite, introducing their language, Norman French, as the language of the court, administration, and the new aristocracy. This language was significantly different from the Old English spoken by the previous ruling class. While Latin continued to be the lingua franca of the Church and for official documents, Norman French became the spoken language among the Norman nobility. Over time, the Norman kings and their courts maintained French as their official language for several centuries, with elements of it seeping into the evolving English language. The use of French can be seen in artifacts from the era, such as the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the events surrounding the Norman Conquest. The use of distinct languages for different strata of society created a multilingual environment in medieval England. During this time, the languages of the court, the church, and the common people coexisted, with each serving different functions within society.