William had taken Stigand with him to…

William had taken Stigand with him to Normandy in 1067, although whether this was because William did not trust the archbishop, as the medieval chronicler William of Poitiers alleges, is not certain.

When William was preparing to invade England, his wife Matilda had outfitted a ship, the Mora, out of her own money and gave it to him.

This indicates that she must have owned rich lands in Normandy to be able to do so.

Additionally, William had entrusted Normandy to his wife during his absence.

Matilda had successfully guided the duchy through this period in the name of her fourteen-year-old son; no major uprisings or unrest had occurred.

Even after William conquered England and became its king, it takes her more than a year to visit her new kingdom.

Matilda is crowned queen on May 11, 1068, in Westminster during the feast of Pentecost, in a ceremony presided over by the archbishop of York; Stigand is present as well.

Three new phrases are incorporated to cement the importance of English consorts, stating that the Queen is divinely placed by God, shares in royal power, and blesses her people by her power and virtue.