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A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess. Historically, some duchies in Continental Europe were sovereign, while others (especially in France and Britain) were subordinate districts of a kingdom. Traditionally, a grand duchy, such as Luxembourg, was generally independent and sovereign. Sovereign duchies were common in the Holy Roman Empire and German-speaking areas. In France, a number of duchies existed in the medieval period. Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom still holds the medieval French title of Duke of Normandy; the only lands still attached to the Duchy of Normandy are the Channel Islands. In medieval England, the territories of Lancashire (see Duchy of Lancaster) and Cornwall (see Duchy of Cornwall) were made duchies, with certain powers accruing to their Dukes. These duchies today are held by the Royal Family (Reigning Sovereign and Heir to the throne, respectively), and have lost their political role. In more recent times, territorial duchies have become rare; most dukedoms conferred in the last few centuries have been of a purely symbolic character (see Duke). No independent duchies exist today; however, Luxembourg is an independent Grand Duchy.
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