Channel Islands
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- Alternate meaning: Channel Islands (California)
Politically, they are divided between the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey, both of which are British crown dependencies, but not part of the United Kingdom. They are officially part of the Duchy of Normandy and as such, Queen Elizabeth II often toasted as Duke of Normandy. However, purusant to the Treaty of Paris (1295) and Salic Law, she technically is not the Duke and instead governs in her right as Queen.
The islands's government is responsible to The Queen in Council (where she is advised by the Home Secretary) and are not responsible to Parliament. They are conventionally considered part of the British Isles, although the reasons for this are more political than geographical.
The inhabited islands of the Channel Isles are Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, Herm, (the main islands) Jethou, Brecqhou (Brechou) and Lihou. All of these except Jersey are in the Bailiwick of Guernsey. (There is another small inhabited island Chausey, south of Jersey. Because it is owned by France it is very little known, even to channel islanders.)
They were originally part of the lands in France owned by the Duke of Normandy. In 1066 the Duke William the Conqueror invaded and conquered England, becoming the English monarch. Over the years, the rest of the monarch's lands in France were lost and now only the Channel Isles remain.
During the Second World War they were occupied by Germany.
