Alfred was styled "King of the Anglo-Saxons"; his grandson and (indirect) successor Æthelstan was first styled "King of the English". The same kingdom was taken by William I, who also styled himself "King of the English", as would be common amongst the Normans until John.

While Alfred may have borne a different title, he held the same office as the (later) Kings of England.

There is an amusing part of Michael Wood's excellent In Search of England about the Norman Yoke. While at school he had written a letter to Bernard Montgomery ("Monty") and was summoned to the House of Lords to debate the matter with the great man - he only realises fairly late on that of course Montgomery is from a Norman background (descended from Roger of Montgomery) while as a Wood he was from humble Anglo-Saxon stock.