Bernard Fitzalan-Howard, 16th Duke of Norfolk

Bernard Marmaduke Fitzalan-Howard, 16th Duke of Norfolk, KG, GCVO, GBE, TD, PC (30 May 1908 – 31 January 1975), styled Earl of Arundel and Surrey until 1917, was the eldest surviving son of Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk, who died when Bernard was only 9 years old. His mother was Gwendolen Fitzalan-Howard, suo jure Gwendoline Mary Herries, 12th Lady Herries of Terregles, and he inherited her peerage when she died in 1947.
He was educated at The Oratory School and was commissioned into the Royal Horse Guards in 1931, but resigned his commission in 1933. He joined the 4th (Territorial Army) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment in 1934, and was promoted Major in 1939. He served in World War II, in which he was wounded in action.
As hereditary Earl Marshal, he organised the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the funeral of Winston Churchill, and the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales. He was a keen cricket fan and was the manager of the English cricket team in Australia in 1962–63, which excited much press interest.

The Duke married the Hon Lavinia Mary Strutt, daughter of Algernon Strutt, 3rd Baron Belper and his wife Eva, on 27 January 1937. They had four daughters together:

• Lady Anne Elizabeth Fitzalan-Howard, 14th Lady Herries of Terregles, Baroness Cowdrey of Tonbridge (12 June 1938–23 November 2014), married Colin Cowdrey, later Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge
• Lady Mary Katharine Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Lady Herries of Terregles, DCVO, (14 August 1940), married Group Captain Anthony Mumford
• Lady Sarah Margaret Fitzalan-Howard (23 June 1941–14 June 2015), married Nigel Clutton
• Lady (Theresa) Jane Fitzalan-Howard, Marchioness of Lothian (24 June 1945), heiress presumptive to the Lordship Herries of Terregles, married Michael Kerr, 13th Marquess of Lothian

The 16th Duke died 31 January 1975, and is buried at Fitzalan Chapel on the western grounds of Arundel Castle.

The Duke of Norfolk broadcasting

It was the first time that most of us had met the portly, florid aristocrat...we hardly knew what to expect: he hadn't exactly sprung to mind as a front-running candidate for the job. It was a black-tie affair, of course, and none of us dared get drunk. Eventually, over the port, the Duke rose, cleared his throat and delivered himself of a sentence I shall treasure till the end of my days: "Gentlemen", he said, "I wish this to be an entirely informal tour. You will merely address me as 'Sir'". The grand old duke is dead now, alas, but he loved that tour of Australia more than any other official duty he had ever undertaken in his auspicious public life...I could write a whole volume on the Duke Down Under.

Ian Wooldridge

His Grace the Duke of Norfolk was appointed as manager of the England tour of Australia in the winter of 1962–63. His appointment astounded just about everyone connected with the game. He was a very pleasant man, a true gentleman and a real cricket enthusiast, but he had no track record or qualifications suited to the job to which he had been appointed...The very first press conference was overloaded with questions about whether the Duke of Norfolk's horses would be seen on Australian race tracks. I couldn't believe it. We were there to contest the Ashes, and there was our tour manager talking about horse racing and whether the jockey Scobie Breasley was to fly out and ride for him...In no time at all the news in the press concerning the England team centred on where the Duke of Norfolk's horses were running...

Fred Trueman

The announcement that the Duke would manage the MCC cricket team in Australia in 1962–63 came as a complete surprise. He was a keen cricketer, who was President of the MCC in 1956–57 and was still a member of its powerful committee. He had managed his own tour of the West Indies with a Duke of Norfolk's XI in 1956–67, which had included the England players Tom Graveney, John Warr, Doug Wright and Willie Watson, and would organise another in 1969–70. His father the 15th Duke had built the picturesque Arundel Castle Cricket Ground and the Duke hosted matches against touring teams there from 1954, a tradition continued by his wife Lavinia, Duchess of Norfolk after his death in 1975. He was not a good cricketer, even at village green level, and it was customary to let him get off the mark before he returned to the pavilion. At Arundel, the umpire was his own butler, who when he was out would diplomatically announce "His Grace is not in". The Duke was chosen after a chance remark while having drinks after a MCC Committee meeting. Billy Griffith was the prime candidate to manage the tour, but he had just been appointed the Secretary of the MCC and needed to remain at Lord's to oversee the change from the old divisions between amateurs and professionals that had been decided that autumn. The Duke offered his services when it was mentioned that the new captain Ted Dexter would be difficult to control. Like Dexter, the Duke was a keen follower of horse-racing, and as President of Sussex County Cricket Club he was often at Hove and Arundel and had appointed Dexter county captain. When his appointment was announced it was joked that only a duke could manage "Lord Ted". In those days the MCC tour was seen as a social event and the team were scheduled to attend many high society events for which the Duke was well suited. His relationship with Fred Trueman was mixed; he first spoke to him at the Second Test by calling "Trueman! Over here!" and beckoning him with his finger, to which the fast bowler took exception, but they later became good friends. Socially, the Duke was a great success, his transparent enjoyment of the game and affability with the players, press and public making him popular. As Earl Marshal of England, while in Australia he prepared the Queen's 1963 Royal Visit. He had to return to Great Britain for reasons of state for a month during the tour, which allowed Griffith to fly out and take over in his absence, this gaining useful experience of touring Australia.

As Duke of Norfolk, he became Earl Marshal and Hereditary Marshal of England. In that capacity, the Duke had helped to organise various state ceremonies such as the coronations of King George VI in 1937 and that of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. He also helped to organise the state funerals of King George VI in 1952 and of Winston Churchill in 1965. In 1969, he also took part in the planning for the investiture of Prince Charles as the Prince of Wales.

On his death, the Dukedom passed to his second cousin once removed Miles Stapleton-Fitzalan-Howard, 12th Baron Beaumont, 4th Baron Howard of Glossop. The Lordship of Herries of Terregles, being an old Scottish peerage, was inherited by his eldest daughter, Lady Anne, who married English cricketer Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge.

Titles

• Earl of Arundel (1908–1917)
• His Grace The Duke of Norfolk (1917–1975)

Honours

• Knight of The Most Noble Order of The Garter (1937)
• Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (1946)
• Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (1968)
• Territorial Decoration (1969)
• Privy Council of the United Kingdom (1936)
• Lord Lieutenant of Sussex (1949–1974)
• Deputy Lieutenant of Sussex (1945)
• Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex (1974–1975)