Major General Miles Francis Stapleton Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of Norfolk (21 July 1915 – 24 June 2002), known between 1971 and 1972 as the Lord Beaumont and until 1975 as the Lord Beaumont and Howard of Glossop, was a

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

general and peer. He was the eldest son of Bernard Fitzalan-Howard, 3rd Baron Howard of Glossop, and his wife

Mona Fitzalan-Howard, 11th Baroness Beaumont Mona Josephine Tempest Fitzalan-Howard, 11th Baroness Beaumont, Baroness Howard of Glossop, OBE (''née'' Stapleton; 1 August 1894 – 31 August 1971) was a British peer and member of the Howard and Tempest families. She inherited the Barony o ...

. Besides inheriting the lordships from his father and mother, in 1975, he inherited the Dukedom of Norfolk from his second cousin once removed, making him the premier duke in the

Peerage of England The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. From that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were closed to new creations, and new peers were created in a single Peerag ...

Military career

Educated at

Ampleforth College Ampleforth College is a co-educational Private schools in the United Kingdom, fee-charging boarding and day school in the English Public school (United Kingdom), public school tradition. It opened in 1803 as a boys' school. It is near the villa ...

and

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

,Obituary: The Duke of Norfolk
''The Daily Telegraph'', 26 June 2002 Miles Fitzalan-Howard was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Territorial Army as a university candidate on 3 July 1936. and was subsequently commissioned in the same rank in the

Grenadier Guards The Grenadier Guards (GREN GDS) is the most senior infantry regiment of the British Army, being at the top of the Infantry Order of Precedence. It can trace its lineage back to 1656 when Lord Wentworth's Regiment was raised in Bruges to protect ...

on 27 August 1937, with seniority from 30 January 1936. His

service number A service number or roll number is an identification code used to identify a person within a large group. Service numbers are most often associated with the military; however, they also may be used in civilian organizations. National identificati ...

was 52703. He was promoted to lieutenant on 30 January 1939 and to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

on 30 January 1944. In April 1944, as a temporary major during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he was awarded the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth of ...

for reconnaissance of mined roads. He was at the time on foot and under enemy fire. He was quoted in his obituary in ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'' as saying: "Anyone can be the Duke of Norfolk, but I'm rather proud of that medal." Fitzalan-Howard was promoted to the substantive rank of major on 30 January 1949. Promoted to lieutenant-colonel on 28 February 1955, he was appointed Chief of the British mission to the Soviet forces in Germany in 1957, and received a promotion to

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

on 24 April 1958 He was appointed a

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(CBE), Military Division, in the

1960 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1960 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. They were announced in supplements to the ''Lon ...

. In 1961, he was appointed Commander of the 70th Brigade (

King's African Rifles The King's African Rifles (KAR) was a British Colonial Auxiliary Forces regiment raised from Britain's East African colonies in 1902. It primarily carried out internal security duties within these colonies along with military service elsewher ...

and the Kenya Regiment), just before Kenyan independence.Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
/ref> Promoted to

brigadier Brigadier ( ) is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore (rank), commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several t ...

on 1 January 1963, he became

General Officer Commanding General officer commanding (GOC) is the usual title given in the armies of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth (and some other nations, such as Ireland) to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC ...

1st Division on 5 November, with the rank of temporary major general. He was confirmed in the substantive rank of major-general in February 1964, retroactive to 5 November and with seniority from 10 April 1963. After relinquishing his command on 5 November 1965, he became Director of Management and Support Intelligence at the

Ministry of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see American and British English spelling differences#-ce.2C -se, spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and Mi ...

on 6 January 1966 Appointed a

Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregi ...

(CB) in the 1966 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed Director of Service Intelligence at the Ministry of Defence on 29 July. He relinquished this appointment on 18 September of the following year and retired the same day, after 31 years of service.

Lordship

Baronies of Beaumont and Howard of Glossop

The Duke inherited the Barony of Beaumont from his mother, the 11th Baroness, in 1971, and the Barony Howard of Glossop from his father, the 3rd Baron, in 1972.

Dukedom of Norfolk

When he was Lord Beaumont he inherited the Dukedom of Norfolk from his second cousin once removed, The 16th Duke of Norfolk, in 1975 and added his mother's maiden name of Stapleton before his own that year. He also inherited the Great Office of Earl Marshal and Hereditary Marshal of England, which is attached to the Dukedom of Norfolk, thereby becoming responsible for State occasions. He became, by virtue of this office, the hereditary judge of the

Court of Chivalry His Majesty's High Court of Chivalry is a civil law (as opposed to common law) court in English and Welsh law with jurisdiction over matters of heraldry. The court has been in existence since the fourteenth century; however, it rarely sits. T ...

and head of the

College of Arms The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional Officer of Arms, officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the ...

, responsible for

heraldry Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and genealo ...

in England and Wales as well as other parts of the

Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations, often referred to as the British Commonwealth or simply the Commonwealth, is an International organization, international association of member states of the Commonwealth of Nations, 56 member states, the vast majo ...

such as Australia and New Zealand. He cancelled a plan to give

Arundel Castle Arundel Castle is a restored and remodelled medieval castle in Arundel, West Sussex, England. It was established by Roger de Montgomery in the 11th century. The castle was damaged in the English Civil War and then restored in the 18th and earl ...

to the

National Trust The National Trust () is a heritage and nature conservation charity and membership organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Trust was founded in 1895 by Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley to "promote the ...

, instead creating an independent charitable trust to maintain the castle. The Dukes of Norfolk remained

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

despite the

Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...

(see

recusancy Recusancy (from ) was the state of those who remained loyal to the Catholic Church and refused to attend Church of England services after the English Reformation. The 1558 Recusancy Acts passed in the reign of Elizabeth I, and temporarily repea ...

). The Duke, as senior Roman Catholic peer of the United Kingdom, represented The Queen at the installations of

Pope John Paul I Pope John Paul I (born Albino Luciani; 17 October 1912 – 28 September 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 26 August 1978 until his death 33 days later. His reign is among the shortest in papal h ...

and

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

and at the funeral of Pope John Paul I. The 17th Duke was the patron of many Catholic charities and benevolent organisations, including the Catholic Building Society.

Personal life

One of eight children (all of whose first names started with the letter "M"), the Duke married Anne Mary Teresa Constable-Maxwell in 1949. They had two sons and three daughters: *Lady Tessa Mary Isabel Fitzalan-Howard (born 20 September 1950), married Roderick Balfour, 5th Earl of Balfour; has issue, four daughters, one of whom is the playwright, Lady Kinvara Balfour. *Lady Carina Mary Gabrielle Fitzalan-Howard (born 20 February 1952), married Sir David Frost; has issue. * Lady Marcia Mary Josephine Fitzalan-Howard (born 10 March 1953), better known as the actress Marsha Fitzalan, married Patrick Ryecart (marriage dissolved); has issue. *

Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk Edward William Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk, (born 2 December 1956), styled Earl of Arundel between 1975 and 2002, is a British peer who holds the hereditary office of Earl Marshal. As Duke of Norfolk, he is the most senior non-royal ...

(b. 2 December 1956), married Georgina Susan Gore, has issue. * Lord Gerald Bernard Fitzalan-Howard (born 13 June 1962), married

Emma Roberts Emma Rose Roberts (born February 10, 1991) Additional on October 9, 2016 is an American actress, singer and producer. Known for her performances spanning multiple genres of film and television, her work in the horror film, horror and thriller ...

; has issue. He has resided with his family at Carlton Towers since 1991. The Duke lived in the parish of

Hambleden Hambleden is a small village and civil parish in southwest Buckinghamshire, England. The village is around west of Marlow, Buckinghamshire, Marlow, and around northeast of Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire. The civil parish also includes the vi ...

until his death on 24 June 2002. He was buried at Fitzalan Chapel on the western grounds of

. A memorial service was held at

Westminster Cathedral Westminster Cathedral, officially the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood, is the largest Catholic Church in England and Wales, Roman Catholic church in England and Wales. The shrine is dedicated to the Blood of Jesus Ch ...

, celebrated by the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster; the congregation was led by

Princess Alexandra of Kent Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy (Alexandra Helen Elizabeth Olga Christabel; born 25 December 1936) is a member of the British royal family and the only daughter of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and D ...

representing the Queen and by Field Marshal Lord Bramall representing the Duke of Edinburgh.

Catholicism

He was Catholic but disagreed with the Church's view on birth control at a conference of Catholic teachers, "How can you ask a married couple to do it by thermometers and what not?" he asked. "My wife and I did that – it didn't bloody work. Has everybody got to have eight children like my mother?"

Honours and awards

;Domestic *

Royal Victorian Chain The Royal Victorian Chain is a State decoration, decoration instituted in 1902 by King Edward VII as a personal award of the monarch (i.e. not an award made on the advice of any Commonwealth realm government). It ranks above the Royal Victorian Or ...

(2000) * Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter (1983) * Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (1986) *

(1966) *

(1960) *

* Deputy Lieutenant of

West Sussex West Sussex is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Surrey to the north, East Sussex to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Hampshire to the west. The largest settlement is Cr ...

;Foreign *: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Pius IX *: Grand Cross ''pro merito Melitensi''

Family

Ancestry

Family tree

References

External links

* , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Norfolk, Miles Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of 1915 births 2002 deaths People educated at Ampleforth College Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford British Army personnel of World War II Grenadier Guards officers British Army major generals English Roman Catholics Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Companions of the Order of the Bath Deputy lieutenants of West Sussex 317 *35 306 123 *25 Barons Howard of Glossop Barons Beaumont Miles Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of Norfolk Earls Marshal Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Knights of the Garter Knights of the Order of Pope Pius IX Recipients of the Military Cross King's African Rifles officers 20th-century Roman Catholics 21st-century Roman Catholics Earls of Norfolk (1644 creation) Military personnel from the City of Westminster Excepted hereditary peers