Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk

His Grace
The Duke of Norfolk
GCVO DL
Portrait by Allan Warren, 2013
Earl Marshal
Incumbent
Assumed office
24 June 2002
MonarchsElizabeth II
Charles III
Preceded byThe 17th Duke of Norfolk
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Incumbent
Assumed office
12 March 2003
Ex officio as Earl Marshal
Preceded byThe 17th Duke of Norfolk
Personal details
Born
Edward William Fitzalan-Howard

(1956-12-02) 2 December 1956 (age 68)
NationalityBritish
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1987; div. 2022)​
Francesca Herbert
​
(m. 2022)​
Children
Parents
EducationAmpleforth College
Alma materLincoln College, Oxford
TitleDuke of Norfolk
Tenure 24 June 2002 – present
PredecessorMiles Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of Norfolk
HeirHenry Fitzalan-Howard, Earl of Arundel

Edward William Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk, GCVO, DL (born 2 December 1956), styled Earl of Arundel between 1975 and 2002. He is a British peer who holds the hereditary office of Earl Marshal. As Duke of Norfolk, he is the most senior non-royal peer in the peerage of England.[1] He is also the titular head of the House of Howard.

Background and education

Norfolk is the son of Miles Francis Stapleton Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of Norfolk, and his wife Anne Mary Teresa Constable-Maxwell.[2] He was educated at Ampleforth College, a Roman Catholic independent school,[2] before going up to Lincoln College, Oxford.[1][2]

He has a brother and three sisters. His only brother, Lord Gerald Fitzalan-Howard, runs the Carlton Towers estate with his wife, Emma Fitzalan-Howard. The Duke's eldest sister is the Countess of Balfour. His second sister, Lady Carina Fitzalan-Howard, is the widow of broadcaster David Frost. His third and youngest sister is the actress Marsha Fitzalan.

Career

The Duke wearing parliamentary robes as Earl Marshal in 2022

Norfolk worked with various companies, and from 2000 to 2002 was Deputy Earl Marshal. Upon the death of his father in 2002, he inherited the late Duke of Norfolk's peerages and the position of Earl Marshal.[3] He was a Cub Scout while at school at Ampleforth College and currently holds two appointments in the Scout Movement. He was the President of 1st Arundel (Earl of Arundel's Own) Scout Group in 2010, and still serves as President of the Arundel & Littlehampton District Scouts up to present. He is also Patron of West Sussex County Scouts. In June 2003, he was awarded the Medal of Merit for Services by the Scout Movement. He is an Honorary Fellow of St Edmund's College, Cambridge.[4]

Norfolk was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) in the 2022 Birthday Honours.[5]

As a member of the House of Lords, he has cast only twelve votes, mostly against hunting restrictions.[6]

As hereditary Earl Marshal, he was held responsible for the arrangement of the 19 September 2022 state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and the accession and coronation of King Charles III.[1]

Personal life

The Duke lives at Arundel Castle.[7] As a result of driving offense he committed in April 2022, he was disqualified from driving for six months until September of same year. He also had several motoring convictions where he incurred an excess of penalty points, resulting in a driving ban. His barrister argued in mitigation that he needed the ability to drive to organise the coronation of King Charles III.[8]

Family

Earl of Arundel, outside Carlton Towers, by Allan Warren (1981)

A Roman Catholic, the Duke of Norfolk is recognised by the Vatican as England's senior representative of the faith. The Duke, then Earl of Arundel, married Georgina Susan Gore on 27 June 1987 at Arundel Cathedral.[2] Together, they have three sons and two daughters:

  • Henry Miles Fitzalan-Howard, Earl of Arundel (3 December 1987) who married Cecilia Mary Elizabeth dei Conti (of the Counts) Colacicchi, Nobile di Anagni on 16 July 2016. They have three daughters.
  • Lady Rachel Fitzalan-Howard (10 June 1989)
  • Lord Thomas Fitzalan-Howard (14 March 1992)
  • Lady Isabel Fitzalan-Howard (7 February 1994)
  • Lord Philip Fitzalan-Howard (14 July 1996)

The Duke and Duchess separated in 2011, but were reconciled by 2016, only to split up again; their divorce became final in 2022.[1]

On 12 November 2022, the Duke married Francesca Herbert[citation needed] (née Bevan), former wife of The Hon. Henry Herbert, second son of the 7th Earl of Carnarvon.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

In 2002, he inherited the Dukedom of Norfolk, as well as a number of earldoms, baronies, hereditary offices, and titles attached to the Dukedom, from his father. His office of Earl Marshal, one of the Great Officers of State, makes him responsible for State occasions, such as coronations[9][10] and the State Opening of Parliament.[1] He is also, by virtue of this office, one of the hereditary judges of the Court of Chivalry and head of the College of Arms, responsible for heraldry in England and Wales as well as other parts of the Commonwealth of Nations.

List of peerages

List of hereditary offices

Honours

Arms

Coat of arms of Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk
Adopted
1660 (by the 5th Duke of Norfolk)
Coronet
A Coronet of a Duke
Crest
1st: Issuant from a Ducal Coronet Or a pair of Wings Gules each charged with a Bend between six Cross-crosslets fitchy Argent (Howard);
2nd: On a Chapeau Gules turned up Ermine a Lion statant gardant with tail extended Or gorged with a Ducal Coronet Argent (Thomas of Brotherton);
3rd: On a Mount Vert a Horse passant Argent holding in the mouth a Slip of Oak Vert fructed proper (Fitzalan).
Escutcheon
Quarterly, 1st: Gules on a Bend between six Cross-crosslets fitchy Argent an Escutcheon Or charged with a Demi-lion rampant pierced through the mouth by an arrow within a Double Tressure flory counterflory of the first (Howard); 2nd: Gules three Lions passant gardant in pale Or, Armed and Langued Azure, in chief a Label of three points Argent (Plantagenet of Norfolk); 3rd: Checky Or and Azure (Warenne); 4th: Gules a Lion rampant Or, Armed and Langued Azure (Fitzalan).
Supporters
Dexter a Lion, sinister a Horse both Argent the latter holding in the mouth a Slip of Oak Vert fructed proper.
Motto
Sola Virtus Invicta (Latin for "Virtue alone is unconquered").
Orders
Circlet of the Royal Victorian Order (appointed Knight Grand Cross in 2022).
Often, the coat of arms of the Duke of Norfolk appears with the Garter circlet of the Order of the Garter surrounding the shield, as seen in the arms of the 17th Duke of Norfolk. However, this is not hereditary. The 18th Duke of Norfolk, as of 2024, has not yet been appointed to the Order of the Garter.
Other elements
Placed behind the shield are two gold batons in saltire enamelled at the ends in black, which represent the Duke of Norfolk's office as Earl Marshal and Hereditary Marshal of England.
Symbolism
The shield on the bend in the first quarter of the arms was granted as an augmentation of honour by Henry VIII to the 2nd Duke of Norfolk, to commemorate his victory at the Battle of Flodden. It is a modification of the Royal coat of arms of Scotland. Instead of its normal rampant position, the lion is shown cut in half with an arrow through its mouth, commemorating the death of King James IV at the battle.[12]

Ancestry

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Davies, Caroline (10 September 2022). "Earl marshal: the duke coordinating the Queen's funeral and King's coronation". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Dod's Parliamentary Companion. Vacher Dod Publishing, Limited. 2004. p. 666. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  3. ^ Gordon Casely (27 June 2002). "Obituary: The Duke of Norfolk". The Herald. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  4. ^ "St Edmund's College - University of Cambridge". www.st-edmunds.cam.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  5. ^ "No. 63714". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 2022. p. B4.
  6. ^ "The last of the hereditary peers in the House of Lords".
  7. ^ Walsh, David (10 January 2022). "Duke of Norfolk agrees to repair 'unridable' cycle path across his land in Chapeltown, Sheffield". The Star. Sheffield. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Duke of Norfolk banned from driving". BBC News. 26 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Prince Charles coronation planned in Britain". Reality TV World. United Press International. 26 December 2004. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  10. ^ Morgan, Christopher; Hellen, Nicholas (26 December 2004). "Charles plans his modern coronation". The Sunday Times.
  11. ^ "No. 63714". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 June 2022. p. B4.
  12. ^ Brooke-Little, J.P., FSA (1978) [1950]. Boutell's Heraldry (Revised ed.). London: Frederick Warne LTD. p. 125. ISBN 0-7232-2096-4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Political offices
Preceded by Earl Marshal
2002–present 		Incumbent
Peerage of England
Preceded by Duke of Norfolk
2002–present 		Incumbent
Order of precedence in England and Wales
Preceded byas Lord Great Chamberlain Gentlemen
Earl Marshal 		Succeeded byas Lord Steward
Order of precedence in Scotland
Preceded by Gentlemen
Duke of Norfolk 		Succeeded by
Order of precedence in Northern Ireland
Preceded byas Lord Great Chamberlain Gentlemen
Earl Marshal 		Succeeded by