In OTL, the English made a big navy for several reasons. One was that the two big economies in 1200s to 1500s were shipping and wheat. One needs ships for the first. Another reason is that if there is a huge navy, no one is going to be able to land troops on England, and therefore the royal treasury can save on not making any serious fortification efforts (which nearly bit them in the butt if the Battle of Trafalgar went the wrong way). Also, there were Channel pirates that needed to be chased away from English ships. Eventually the British put this navy to supporting a budding empire with holdings in Africa, India, Australia, and more (I exclude USA since it was lost before the EITC became big enough in India, which is part of the Classic British Empire).
Well, if the Plantagenets kept Normandy and Anjou for prolonged periods of time, England's finances would likely be wrecked fighting the Capets and the Valois. Sure Henry V's campaigns ran a profit, but that was only because he kept winning battles and ransoming French knights and lords. A reasonable assumption would be a mixtures of wins and losses, which hurts the weaker side (England).
Let's suppose the England-Normandy union continues. One way I imagine this is Henry the Young King inherits England, Anjou, and Normandy, Richard Aquitaine, Geoffrey is already married into the Brittany noble family, and John dies childless while supporting his brother. Then the Capets simply ignore the England-Normany for... I don't know let's say a minimum of 350 more years and the Plantagenet Normandy branch doesn't cause trouble for their liege since he respects their lands.
Or any other sequence of events where England and Normandy remain ruled by the same ruler (Plantagenet win the HYW for example) and keep living in palaces in London. My point being, England and Normandy have the same ruler and they don't need to build Normandy fortifications or raise armies for expensive wars in France because either France is leaving them alone or they are the kings of France but just happen to reside in England most of the time.
What incentive would there be to make a Royal Navy similar to OTL before European colonization? Both sides of the Channel would be controlled by friendly ports. Most pirates like to operate fairly close to their prey, so defending against pirates wouldn't require a large force (there would be some piracy, but less than OTL with both sides under Plantagenet control, particularly if they are friends with whoever controls the Netherlands).
In fact, there doesn't seem to be a good reason or butterfly a good reason in to start a naval tradition other than as an ego boost, at least until overseas colonization is viable. This is even under the scenario the Continental Holdings are not a liability needing defending.
Well, if the Plantagenets kept Normandy and Anjou for prolonged periods of time, England's finances would likely be wrecked fighting the Capets and the Valois. Sure Henry V's campaigns ran a profit, but that was only because he kept winning battles and ransoming French knights and lords. A reasonable assumption would be a mixtures of wins and losses, which hurts the weaker side (England).
Let's suppose the England-Normandy union continues. One way I imagine this is Henry the Young King inherits England, Anjou, and Normandy, Richard Aquitaine, Geoffrey is already married into the Brittany noble family, and John dies childless while supporting his brother. Then the Capets simply ignore the England-Normany for... I don't know let's say a minimum of 350 more years and the Plantagenet Normandy branch doesn't cause trouble for their liege since he respects their lands.
Or any other sequence of events where England and Normandy remain ruled by the same ruler (Plantagenet win the HYW for example) and keep living in palaces in London. My point being, England and Normandy have the same ruler and they don't need to build Normandy fortifications or raise armies for expensive wars in France because either France is leaving them alone or they are the kings of France but just happen to reside in England most of the time.
What incentive would there be to make a Royal Navy similar to OTL before European colonization? Both sides of the Channel would be controlled by friendly ports. Most pirates like to operate fairly close to their prey, so defending against pirates wouldn't require a large force (there would be some piracy, but less than OTL with both sides under Plantagenet control, particularly if they are friends with whoever controls the Netherlands).
In fact, there doesn't seem to be a good reason or butterfly a good reason in to start a naval tradition other than as an ego boost, at least until overseas colonization is viable. This is even under the scenario the Continental Holdings are not a liability needing defending.