17^th Duke of Norfolk

MILES FRANCIS STAPLETON FITZALAN-HOWARD

KG[1983], MC[1943], GCVO[1986], CBE[1966], CB[1960], DL, MA

21^st July, 1915 ~ 24^th June, 2002   

Born Carlton Towers, Yorkshire 21^st July, 1915.  Educated at Ampleforth School and Christ Church, Oxford.

A distinguished Army career spanning 30 years began with commissioning as a 2^nd Lieutenant in the Regiment of the Grenadier Guards to rise to rank of Major-General.  With the ‘British Expeditionary Force’ in France he was under fire at ‘Louvain’ and ‘Dunkirk’; he took part in the invasion of ‘Tangiers’; was then attached to the ‘Eighth Army’ in North Africa; saw action in Sicily and Southern Italy.   Aged 28 years old with the rank of ‘Major’ he was awarded the Military Cross (citation: “..for showing the greatest energy and coolness in complete disregard for the enemy fire..”)at the ‘Battle for the River Sangro’.  Promoted ‘Brigade Major’ ‘5^th Armoured Brigade’, during the D-Day landing he was again mentioned in despatches.   Made ‘British Military Attaché’ in Washington, where he met his future wife Anne Mary Teresa Constable-Maxwell (m.1949 Brompton Oratory).  Promoted ‘Commanding Officer’’ 2^nd Battalion Grenadiers’ in Suez prior to outbreak of war.  Made ‘Head of the British Military Mission’ to the Russian Zone Forces in Germany.   Three years in Kenya (where he learned Swahili) commanding the ’70^th Brigade King’s African Rifles’ before being back in Germany as ‘General Officer Commander’ ‘1^st Division British Army of the Rhine’.   Retired from Army in 1967 from post as ‘Director of M&S’ & ‘Service Intelligence’ MOD.  Honorary Bencher of Inner Temple, Honorary Fellow of St. Edmund’s House, Cambridge; President of Building Societies Association; Prime Warden of the Fishmongers’ Livery Company (4^th in precedence of Great Twelve Liveries).  Joined ‘Robert Fleming Merchant Bank’ as a non-executive Director.

From his mother, (Mona Josephine Tempest Stapleton, the ‘11^th Baroness Beaumont’) he inherited the [1309] ‘Barony of Beaumont’ in 1971 and the [1869] ‘Barony of Howard of Glossop’ from his father (Bernard Edward Fitzalan-Howard, the ‘3^rd Lord Howard of Glossop’) in 1972. 

Three years later, at the age of 59, Miles Francis Stapleton Fitzalan-Howard inherited the Dukedom from Bernhard Marmaduke,(his second cousin once removed) and became the ‘17^th Duke of Norfolk’.   Other hereditary titles include ‘Baron Fitzalan [1627], Clun and Oswaldestre’, ‘Baron Maltravers’ [1330], ‘Earl of Arundel’[1433], ‘Earl of Surrey’[1483], ‘Earl of Norfolk’ [1444].   He was also ‘Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of West Sussex’.   He had a short ‘career’ as a film extra (film: A Handful of Dust) albeit on location at his own Carlton Towers estate in the role of a gardener. 

The ‘Duke of Norfolk’ is the ‘Premier Dukedom of England’ and ‘The Great Office of Earl Marshal’ and ‘Hereditary Marshal of England’ is historically attached.  As such The ‘Duke of Norfolk’ takes precedence on the list of English nobility to all except the Royal Dukes. By virtue of this office, ‘Duke Miles’ also became the hereditary ‘Judge in the Court of Chivalry’ and ‘Head of the College of Arms’ through which he regulated matters connected with armorial bearings and standards in addition to being responsible for the arrangements for state functions.

The ‘Dukes of Norfolk’ have remained Roman Catholics recusants for over 300 years and ‘Duke Miles’ was a devout and stalwart leader of the Roman Catholic  community.   ‘Duke Miles’ represented ‘The Queen’ at the Vatican occasions of the installation of ‘Pope John Paul 1’ and ‘Pope Paul 11’ – and at the funeral of ‘Pope John Paul1’.  The Pope awarded Miles the ‘Order of Pope Pius IX’

Duke Miles was said to be foremost a kind and generous family man; his five children - two sons and three daughters are: ‘The Lady Tessa Mary Isabel Fitzalan-Howard’; ‘The Lady Carina Mary Gabrielle Fitzalan-Howard’; ‘The Lady Marcia Mary Josephine Fitzalan-Howard’; ‘Edward William Fitzalan-Howard’ (now 18^th Duke of Norfolk); ‘The Lord Gerald Bernard Fitzalan-Howard’.             

see Obituary Daily Telegraph 26^th June 2002   www.telegraph.co.uk

A must read book written by a close friend and published in 2004.
Miles A Portrait of the 17th Duke of Norfolk by Gerard Noel 2004

“This is an affectionate portrait of Miles Norfolk by Gerald Noel, with a foreword by Lord Carrington, the military sections by John Martin Robinson, and extensive quotations from Miles’ own diaries. Miles died in 2002, aged eighty-six. His life was unusual in that he had two completely separate consequtive careers: as a successful professional soldier in the Grenadier Guards and then as premier duke and Earl Marshal of England with all the historic responsibilities which went with those positions. He had already retired as a major general when at the age of sixty he inherited the Norfolk mantle from Bernard, his second cousin once removed, in 1975. He then fulfilled his ducal duties for the best part of twenty-six years with humour, energy, dedication and administrative competence.

He served at Dunkirk, in Italy and in the Normandy campaign including the race to Brussels, and was awarded the MC. Thereafter he was head of Brixmis in Berlin (the British Intelligence mission to the Russian army during the Cold War), commanded the King’s African Rifles in pre-Independence Kenya, and was finally Director of Military Service Intelligence. After the Army he had a stint in the City as a non-executive director of Fleming’s Bank. He made wise decisions for the estates and future of Arundel, the great castle-house of the Fitzalan Howards which he restored to glory.

His official life as duke involved leadership of the Catholic peers in the House of Lords where he performed an almost nineteeth-century role and was able to put across the moral views of the Church, even on occasion defeat the government, as over school buses. As Earl Marshal he restored the College of Arms building and put its finances on a sound footing.

He gives an evocative description of early childhood at Carlton Towers in Yorkshire, his mother’s family’s house remodelled in the 1870s by Pugin and Bentley as a large forbidding Victorian pile. He recalls pre-war life there with its idiosyncratic mix of frugality and grandeur, with the cheerfulness of a large family – Miles was one of eight – perhaps at the heart of his abiding love for his original Northern home.”

Miles A Portrait of the 17th Duke of Norfolk by Gerard Noel 2004
Published by Michael Russell Ltd of Wilby Hall, Norwich NR16 2JP ISBN 085955-289-6

THE BRITISH HONOUR SYSTEM

The Normans established knighthood honours as part of their feudal system of government. William the Conqueror rewarded his loyal follower Roger de Montgomery one third of the territory of ‘Sussex’ - including Arundel - on condition that he build a castle and thence control the South Down gap and coastal plain.  The founding of a Castle at Arundel dates from Christmas Day 1067.  A time line of over 800 years may be traced from the ownership of Arundel Castle by the ‘d’Albini’ family in 1138 to the present day Duke of Norfolk’s Fitzalan-Howard family.

HONOURS AWARDED TO THE 17^th DUKE OF NORFOLK

MC       THE MILITARY CROSS and BAR              awarded 1943

The Military Cross is a military decoration awarded to officers of the Armed Forces for distinguished and meritorious services in battle on land.   The Award was inaugurated on 28^th December 1915 and extended to the rank of Major in 1931.

The military cross is a plain silver cross background with an imperial crown on each arm and in the centre is the Imperial and Royal Cypher of the reigning sovereign. The ribbon is described watered white with a central violet stripe.

Awarded to Major Miles Fitzalan-Howard at the age of 28 years old for his role in the ‘Battle for the River Sangro’ 1943.   Extract from the Duke’s citation: “When the tanks were held up by mines and the operation was halted, Major Howard undertook several recces on foot and showed the greatest energy and coolness in complete disregard for the enemy fire, spreading cheer and optimism wherever he went..”

CB – COMPANION OF THE BATH                            appointed 1960

Established originally as a military order of chivalry, the origin of the Order is said to be medieval, mentioned first in 1128.  The Order of the Bath was discontinued during the reign of Charles II but revived by George I .   The name derives from the ancient ritual where novice knights would hold vigil all night, fasting, praying and then cleansing before being ‘Knighted’.   This ritual was discontinued in 1815.

In 1815 George IV separated the Order in to ‘Civil’ and ‘Military’ divisions.  Originally the Order had less than forty members; now there are more than two thousand.

the insignia

The military badge given to Duke Miles is a gold Maltese Cross base of eight points, enamelled in white.   Each point of the cross is decorated by a small gold ball; each angle has a small figure of a lion.   The centre of the cross bears three crowns on the obverse side, and a rose, a thistle and a shamrock emanating from a sceptre on the reverse side; both emblems are surrounded by a red circle ring. A scroll bearing the motto of the Order in Gold Letters : “Ich Dien” [German:I stand] are flanked by two laurel branches.

CBE     COMMANDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE      awarded in 1966

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4^th June 1917 by King George V with five classes: Knight/Dame Grand Cross (GBE); Knight/Dame Commander (KBE/DBE); Commander (CBE); Officer (OBE); Member (MBE).

The British Sovereign appoints members (with the advice of the Government).   The Order’s motto is: ‘For God and the Empire’.   The Order is limited to 100 Knights and 8900 Commanders.  

The ‘Badge’ is the only insignia used by all members of the Order.  The badge is in the form of a cross with Britannia or George V effigies on obverse and the Royal Cipher on the reverse.  Since 1937 ribbon has been rose pink with pearly grey edges, plus a pearl grey central stripe for military division.    Commanders wear the badge from a ribbon around the kneck.

KG  ‘THE ORDER OF THE GARTER’                         appointed 1983

The ‘Order’ was originally a ‘society, fellowship and college of knights’.  It is the highest order of chivalry to be bestowed and is both senior in age and has precedence to all other UK honours.

There are various legends describing the origin of the Order; one ascribed to King Richard 1 was attributed in the 12^th Century to St. George who tied garters around the legs of his knights while fighting in the Crusades and who subsequently won their battles.

Membership of the Order includes the Monarch, the Prince of Wales and not more than twenty-four companion members.   The Monarch is known as the ‘Sovereign of the Garter’ and the Prince of Wales is known as a ‘Knight Companion of the Garter’.   Male members are known as ‘Knights Companion [KG]’ while female are known as ‘Ladies Companion[LG]’.   The monarch alone grants the membership.

precedence and privileges

Members are assigned precedence coming before all others of knightly rank and above baronets.   The wives, sons, daughters and daughter-in-laws of ‘Knights Companion’ are also assigned precedence.   Knights Companion prefix “Sir” and Ladies Companion prefix “Lady” to their forenames as may the wives of KGs.   Knights use the post-nominal letters “KG” appearing before all others except “Bt” (Baronet), “VC” (Victoria Cross) and “GC” (George Cross).   KG’s and LG’s are entitled to receive heraldic supporters; a privilege granted to very few other private individuals.

the garter

The Garter is an accessory worn on ceremonial occasions; diamonds are sometimes used to define the motto: ‘honi soit qui mal y pense’ For ceremonial occasions members still wear the elaborate vestments and accessories designed in 1821 for the coronation of King George IV.   The Garter is worn around the left calf by knights; originally a light-blue – now dark blue – velvet strap bearing the motto in gold letters or jewels for Ladies.

Additionally, a ‘Star’ was introduced in the 17^th Century by King Charles I.   Each point is depicted as a cluster of rays with the four points of the cardinal directions longer than the intermediate ones.   As the Order is senior in the UK, a member will wear its ‘Star’ above others.

The ‘Riband’ is a 4-inch wide sash worn over the left shoulder to the right hip and was introduced in the 17^th Century by King Charles II.  Originally light blue, the colour was fixed in 1950 as ‘kingfisher blue’.

On the death of a member, the badge and star are returned personally to the Sovereign by the former member’s nearest male relative.

GCVO  ‘GRAND CROSS VICTORIAN ORDER’                     awarded 1986

THE ROYAL VICTORIAN ORDER

Queen Victoria established this Order of chivalry on 21^st April 1896.  The Order was created to be a personal gift of the Sovereign.    Knight Grand Cross is the highest award and conferred on those who performed personal service for the Sovereign.   The motto is “Victoria”.  The Order’s Day is 20^th June each year.   The Order is the second most junior order of chivalry in both age and precedence.

the insignia

The ‘Star’ is only worn by Knights Grand Cross pinned to the left breast.   The Star is an eight-pointed silver star, with a white enamelled Maltese Cross at the centre; the oval shaped central medallion depicts Victoria’s Royal & Imperial Cypher “VRI” [Victoria Regina Imperatrice] on a red background surrounded by a crown-surmounted blue ring bearing the motto of the Order.

The ‘Badge’ is suspended on a blue ribbon with red-white-red edges worn on a riband sash passing from the right shoulder to the left hip.  The badge is in the form of a Maltese Cross with the same design as the star.

On certain ‘collar days’ designated by the Sovereign, the Badge may be suspended over the collar.   Collars are returned upon the death of their owners, but other insignia may be retained.

Army  www.army.mod.uk 

BBC www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar    

Daily Telegraph Obituary   www.telegraph.co.uk

GNU free documentation license 2006. www.en.wikipedia.org

 National Archives  www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

World Innovation Foundation   www.thewif.org.uk