| Earldom of Suffolk held with Earldom of Berkshire | |
|---|---|
 Quarterly, 1st: Gules, on a bend between six crosses-crosslet fitchée argent, an escutcheon or, charged with a demi-lion rampant pierced through the mouth by an arrow within a double tressure flory counterflory of the first(Howard);2nd: Gules, three lions passant guardant in pale or, armed and langued azure, in chief a label of three points argent(Thomas of Brotherton);3rd: Chequy or and azure(Warren);4th: Gules, a lion rampant argent(Mowbray)in the center of the shield a crescent for the difference of a second son[1] | |
| Creation date | before 1069(first creation) 1337(second creation) 1385(forfeit 1388–89, 1399)(third creation) 21 July 1603(fourth creation) |
| Created by | William the Conqueror(first creation) Edward III(second creation) Richard II(third creation) Richard II(third creation, restoration) Henry IV(third creation, restoration) James VI and I(fourth creation) |
| Peerage | Peerage of England |
| First holder | Ralph the Staller, Earl of East Anglia |
| Present holder | Alexander Howard, 22nd Earl of Suffolk, 15th Earl of Berkshire |
| Heir apparent | Arthur Howard, Viscount Andover |
| Remainder to | Heirs male of the body, lawfully begotten |
| Subsidiary titles | Viscount Andover Baron Howard of Charlton |
| Extinction date | 1074(first creation) 1382(second creation) 1504(third creation) |
| Seat | Charlton Park, Wiltshire |
| Motto | Nous Maintiendrons ("We will maintain")[1] |
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Earl of Suffolk is a title which has been created four times in thePeerage of England. The first creation, in tandem with the creation of the title ofEarl of Norfolk, came before 1069 in favour ofRalph the Staller; but the title was forfeited by his heir,Ralph de Guader, in 1074. The second creation came in 1337 in favour ofRobert de Ufford; the title became extinct on the death of his son, the second Earl, in 1382. The third creation came in 1385 in favour ofMichael de la Pole. (For more information on this creation, see theDuke of Suffolk (1448 creation).) The fourth creation was in 1603[2] forLord Thomas Howard, the second son ofThomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, by his second wife Margaret Audley, the daughter and eventual sole heiress[2] ofThomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden, ofAudley End in the parish ofSaffron Walden in Essex. Howard was a prominent naval commander and politician and served asEarl Marshal, asLord Chamberlain of the Household and asLord High Treasurer. In 1597 he wassummoned to Parliament asBaron Howard de Walden, and in 1603 he was further honoured, at the start of the reign of King James I, when he was createdEarl of Suffolk. His second son the Hon.Thomas Howard was createdEarl of Berkshire in 1626.[1]
Lord Suffolk was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Earl. He had already in 1610 been summoned to theHouse of Lords through awrit of acceleration in his father's junior title of Baron Howard de Walden. He later served asCaptain of the Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners and asLord Warden of the Cinque Ports. On his death, the titles passed to his eldest son, the third Earl. He wasLord-Lieutenant of Suffolk andCambridgeshire. Lord Suffolk had no sons and on his death in 1689 the barony of Howard de Walden fell intoabeyance between his daughters (see theBaron Howard de Walden for later history of this title). He was succeeded in the earldom by his younger brother, the fourth Earl. He was childless and on his death, the title passed to his younger brother, the fifth Earl. He was succeeded by his son, the sixth Earl. He was a politician and served asFirst Lord of Trade. In 1706, three years before he succeeded his father, he was raised to the Peerage of England in his own right asBaron Chesterford, in the County of Essex, andEarl of Bindon, in the County of Dorset. His son, the seventh Earl, wasLord-Lieutenant of Essex and is also remembered as the owner of the slaveScipio Africanus. The Earl was childless and on his early death in 1722, the barony of Chesterford and earldom of Bindon became extinct.[3]
He was succeeded in the earldom of Suffolk by his uncle, the eighth Earl. He died unmarried and was succeeded by his younger brother, the ninth Earl. His wifeHenrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk, was a mistress ofKing George II. On Lord Suffolk's death, the titles passed to his son, the tenth Earl. He representedBere Alston in theHouse of Commons. He was childless and on his death, the line of the eldest son of the first Earl failed. The earldom was inherited by the late Earl's third cousin, the fourth Earl of Berkshire, who became the 11th Earl of Suffolk as well (see theEarl of Berkshire for earlier history of this branch of the family). He was succeeded by his grandson, the twelfth Earl (the son of William Howard, Viscount Andover). He was a politician and served asLord Privy Seal and asSecretary of State for the Northern Department. On his death, the titles passed to his posthumous son, the 13th Earl. He died as an infant and was succeeded by his great-uncle, the 14th Earl. He was the third son of the 11th Earl. He sat as Member of Parliament forCastle Rising,Malmesbury andSt Michael's. On his death in 1783, the line of the fourth son of the first Earl of Berkshire failed.[3]
The late Earl was succeeded by his third cousin, the 15th Earl. He was the great-grandson of Colonel the Hon. Philip Howard, seventh son of the first Earl of Berkshire. Lord Suffolk and Berkshire was a General in the Army. On his death, the titles passed to his son, the 16th Earl. He representedArundel in the House of Commons. His son, the 17th Earl, sat asWhig Member of Parliament for Malmesbury. When he died the titles passed to his son, the 18th Earl. He represented Malmesbury in Parliament as aLiberal. He was succeeded by his son, the 19th Earl. He was killed in action in theFirst World War. His eldest son, the 20th Earl, was a bomb disposal expert. He was killed in 1941 while trying to defuse an unexploded bomb and was posthumously awarded theGeorge Cross.[4] From 1941 to 2022 the titles were held by his eldest son, the 21st Earl, who as a young boy succeeded on his father's death. The 21st Earl was famously the base for Jilly Coopers character Rupert Campbell Black as featured in the multiple Television series “Rivals” based on her rutshire chronicles book series.[1][3]
The present Earl, Alexander Charles Michael Winston Robsahm Howard, 22nd Earl of Suffolk & 15th Earl of Berkshire (born 17 September 1974) is the son of the 21st Earl. From birth until 2022 he was known formally as Viscount Andover, one of his father's subsidiary titles. He was educated atEton College and theUniversity of Bristol.[5] He succeeded his father to the peerages in 2022.[6] In 2011, he married Victoria Hamilton, a daughter of James Hamilton, with whom he has two children, a daughter and a son, but were divorced in 2018.[1]
The family seat isCharlton Park, nearMalmesbury, Wiltshire.[1]
During the 16th century, the titleDuke of Suffolk was created twice: 1514 (3 dukes; extinct 1551) and 1551 (1 duke; forfeit 1554).
Theheir apparent is the only son of the present Earl, Arthur Charles Alexander Howard, Viscount Andover (born 2014).
| Peerage of England | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Earl of Suffolk 2022–present | Incumbent Heir apparent: Arthur Howard, Viscount Andover |
| Earl of Berkshire 2022–present | ||
| Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded by The Earl of Lincoln | Gentlemen The Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire | Succeeded by |
Several other members of this branch of the Howard family have also gained distinction. The Hon. Edward Howard, younger son of the first Earl of Suffolk, was createdBaron Howard of Escrick in 1628.[1] The Hon.Henry Thomas Howard, second son of the 16th Earl, sat as Member of Parliament forCricklade. The Hon.James Howard, fourth son of the 16th Earl, sat as Member of Parliament forMalmesbury. His grandson was the explorer and politicianCharles Howard-Bury. The Hon.Greville Howard, younger son of the 19th Earl, sat as Member of Parliament forSt Ives. Thelife peer,Greville Howard, Baron Howard of Rising, is the great-grandson of the Hon. Greville Howard, second son of the 17th Earl.[7]
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