Lavinia Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of Norfolk

The Duchess of Norfolk, 1939.

Lavinia Mary Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of Norfolk LG CBE (22 March 1916, Kingston Hall, Nottinghamshire – 10 December 1995, Arundel Castle, West Sussex) was a British noblewoman.

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:

Lady Anne Elizabeth, later Anne Cowdrey, 14th Lady Herries of Terregles (1938–2014), married Colin Cowdrey
Lady Mary Katherine, later Mary Mumford, 15th Lady Herries of Terregles (b. 1940), married Anthony Mumford
Lady Sarah Margaret (b. 1941), married Nigel Clutton
Theresa Jane, Marchioness of Lothian (b. 1945), married Michael Kerr, 13th Marquess of Lothian

At the Coronation of George VI in 1937, the Duchess of Norfolk 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 (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. 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. 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).

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.