Sneha Girap (Editor)

Lavinia Fitzalan Howard, Duchess of Norfolk

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Name
  
Lavinia Duchess


Lavinia Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of Norfolk

Born
  
22 March 1916 (
1916-03-22
)

Died
  
December 10, 1995, Arundel Castle, Arundel, United Kingdom

Children
  
Anne Cowdrey, 14th Lady Herries of Terregles, Mary Mumford, 15th Lady Herries of Terregles

Similar People
  
Henry Fitzalan‑Howard - 15th Duk, Colin Cowdrey, Chris Cowdrey, Graham Cowdrey

Lavinia Mary Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of Norfolk LG CBE (22 March 1916 – 10 December 1995) was a British noblewoman.

Contents

Life

Born Lavinia Mary Strutt, she was the only daughter of Algernon Strutt, 3rd Baron Belper and his wife, Eva and was educated at Abbot's Hill School. On 27 January 1937, she married Bernard Fitzalan-Howard, 16th Duke of Norfolk (but did not convert to Roman Catholicism, her husband's religion) and they had four daughters, only one (the youngest) of whom has children:

  • Lady Anne Fitzalan-Howard, later Anne Cowdrey, 14th Lady Herries of Terregles (1938–2014), married Colin Cowdrey
  • Lady Mary Fitzalan-Howard, later Mary Mumford, 15th Lady Herries of Terregles (1940-2017), married Anthony Mumford
  • Lady Sarah Fitzalan-Howard (1941–2015), married Nigel Clutton
  • Lady Theresa Fitzalan-Howard, later Theresa Kerr, Marchioness of Lothian and 16th Lady Herries of Terregles (b. 1945), married Michael Kerr, 13th Marquess of Lothian
  • At the Coronation of George VI in 1937, the Duchess of Norfolk was one of four duchesses who held the canopy above the Queen Elizabeth during the latter's anointing. In 1953, she took the part of Queen Elizabeth II during dress rehearsals for the Coronation at Westminster Abbey. The Duke of Norfolk was hereditary Earl Marshal, and organised both coronations as well as important state events in later years.

    Charities

    The Duchess was involved with many charities and was appointed a CBE in 1971 for her work. Among firsts for women, she was the first woman Lord Lieutenant as Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex from 1975 (a post she took over from her husband after his death that year), first woman steward of Goodwood from 1975 and the first non-royal Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter.

    The Duchess was the Princess Anne's predecessor in the presidency of the Riding for the Disabled Association. The presidency passed from the Duchess to the Princess in 1986.

    Sport

    For many years, the traditional curtain-raiser to the English international cricket season was a match between Lavinia, Duchess of Norfolk's XI and the visitors, played at Arundel Castle. It played on in the Duchess' name after the Duke's death in 1975, reverting to its original name after her own death in 1995.

    The Duchess was an owner of racehorses: her best winners included Moon Madness (St Leger Stakes), Sheriff's Star (Coronation Cup) and Lucky Moon (Goodwood Cup).

    References

    Lavinia Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of Norfolk Wikipedia


    Similar Topics