Lavinia Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of Norfolk

Who was Lavinia Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of Norfolk?

Lavinia Mary Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of Norfolk LG CBE was a British peeress.

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 and they had four daughters, only one of whom has children:

Lady Anne Elizabeth, later 14th Lady Herries of Terregles, married Colin Cowdrey.

Lady Mary Katherine, married Anthony Mumford.

Lady Sarah Margaret, married Nigel Clutton.

Theresa Jane, Marchioness of Lothian, married Michael Kerr, 13th Marquess of Lothian.

At the Coronation of George VI in 1937, Fitzalan-Howard was one of four duchesses who held the canopy above the Queen 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 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, first woman steward of Goodwood from 1975 and the first non-royal Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter. 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.