Lavinia Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of Norfolk

Lavinia Fitzalan-Howard
The Duchess of Norfolk, 1939
Born Lavinia Mary Strutt
22 March 1916 (1916-03-22)
Kingston Hall, Nottinghamshire
Died 10 December 1995 (1995-12-11) (aged 79)
Arundel Castle, West Sussex
Spouse(s) Bernard Fitzalan-Howard, 16th Duke of Norfolk
Children Anne Cowdrey, 14th Lady Herries of Terregles
Mary Mumford, 15th Lady Herries of Terregles
Lady Sarah Clutton
Jane Kerr, 16th Lady Herries of Terregles
Parent(s) Algernon Strutt, 3rd Baron Belper
Eva Bruce
Garter-encircled arms (Norfolk impaling Strutt) of Lavinia Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of Norfolk, LG, as displayed on her Order of the Garter stall plate in St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.

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

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:

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).

Ancestry

Honorary titles
Preceded by
The Duke of Norfolk		 Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex
1975–1995		 Succeeded by
The Duke of Richmond


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