Elspeth Howe, Baroness Howe of Idlicote

Who is Elspeth Howe, Baroness Howe of Idlicote?

Elspeth Rosamund Morton Howe, Baroness Howe of Idlicote CBE is a British Crossbencher life peer who has served in many capacities in public life. As the wife of Geoffrey Howe, she was formerly known as Lady Howe of Aberavon before receiving a peerage in her own right.

She is the daughter of the writer Philip Morton Shand by his fourth wife Sybil Mary Shand. As such, she is an aunt of the half-blood to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, whose father Bruce Shand was son of P. Morton Shand by a previous marriage. Elspeth Shand was educated at Wycombe Abbey, a leading private school for girls in England. She married the rising politician Geoffrey Howe in 1953, and had one son and two daughters.

Elspeth Howe served as deputy chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission from 1975 to 1979, and in various other capacities from 1980. She was later made Chair of the Broadcasting Standards Commission. In the 1999 New Year's Honours she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.