Bernard Marmaduke Fitzalan-Howard, 16th Duke of Norfolk (30 May 1908 â 31 January 1975), styled Earl of Arundel and Surrey until 1917, was a British peer and politician. He was the second and only surviving son of Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk, who died when Bernard was only nine years old. His mother was Gwendoline Herries, 12th Lady Herries of Terregles, and he inherited her peerage when she died in 1945.
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 Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, in the Territorial Army in 1934, and was promoted to Major in 1939. He served briefly in the Battle of France, during which he was evacuated sick. He subsequently served as Agricultural Secretary in Winston Churchill's Cabinet from February 1941 until June 1945.
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 King Charles III as Prince of Wales. He was a keen cricket fan, and was the manager of the English cricket team in Australia in 1962âÂÂ63.
The Duke married the Hon Lavinia Mary Strutt, daughter of Algernon Strutt, 3rd Baron Belper, and his wife Eva, on 27 January 1937 at the Brompton Oratory. They had four daughters, three granddaughters and two great-grandchildren:
The 16th Duke died on 31 January 1975, and is buried in the Fitzalan Chapel in the western grounds of Arundel Castle in Sussex.
As Duke of Norfolk, he was Earl Marshal and Hereditary Marshal of England. In that capacity, the Duke had helped to organise various state ceremonies such as the coronation 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, Anne (14th Lady Herries of Terregles, Baroness Cowdrey of Tonbridge), who later married English cricketer Colin Cowdrey.
As a keen cricket fan himself, Howard formed his own team in early 1957 to visit Jamaica. They played three first-class matches against Jamaica, winning two and drawing the other, and also seven non-first-class matches. Howard had been President of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 1956âÂÂ57, and was still a member of its committee in 1962. MCC invited him to manage the English team in Australia in 1962âÂÂ63. Alec Bedser would be his assistant, so Howard accepted. However, due to the demands of his role as Earl Marshal, he had to return to Britain while the tour was in progress. While he was in Australia, Howard helped with preparations for the 1963 Royal Visit by the Queen. MCC Secretary Billy Griffith replaced him as tour manager. In February 1970, another of Howard's teams went to the West Indies, playing first-class matches against the Windward Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados. They also played six non-first-class matches.