Margaret Audley, Duchess of Norfolk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margaret Audley
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| Duchess of Norfolk | |
Margaret Howard, Duchess of Norfolk by Hans Eworth, 1562
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| Born | 1540 |
| Died | 9 January 1564 (aged 23–24) |
| Buried | first at St. John the Baptist's Church, Norwich and then at Church of St Michael the Archangel, Framlingham |
| Spouse(s) | Lord Henry Dudley Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk |
| Issue | Lady Elizabeth Howard Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk Lord William Howard Lady Margaret Sackville |
| Father | Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden |
| Mother | Lady Elizabeth Grey |
Margaret Audley (1540 – January 9, 1564) was an important lady in England during the time of Queen Elizabeth I. She was also known as Margaret Howard after her second marriage. Margaret was the only surviving child of Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden, a very powerful man. Her mother was Lady Elizabeth Grey. This made Margaret a niece of Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk and a first cousin to Lady Jane Grey, who was briefly Queen of England. Margaret was a very wealthy heiress, meaning she inherited a lot of land and money.
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Margaret's Marriages
Margaret was a rich heiress, which made her a good match for marriage. She married twice in her life.
First Marriage to Henry Dudley
Margaret's first husband was Lord Henry Dudley. He was the youngest son of John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland. Henry was also the brother-in-law of Margaret's cousin, Lady Jane Grey.
After Henry's father tried to make Lady Jane Grey queen, his family lost their titles and lands. Margaret's own lands were also taken away because of this. In 1556, after her husband was forgiven, they went to court to get her lands back. Sadly, Henry Dudley was killed in a battle in France in 1557.
Second Marriage to Thomas Howard
In early 1558, Margaret became engaged to Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk. This marriage was a bit complicated. According to the rules of the Catholic Church at the time, people who were closely related needed special permission to marry. Thomas's first wife, Lady Mary FitzAlan, was Margaret's first cousin.
So, Thomas had to ask the Pope for a special permission called a "dispensation." It took a long time and cost a lot of money to get this permission from Rome. While they were waiting, Catholic Queen Mary I died in November 1558. Her sister, Elizabeth I, became queen and began to bring back Protestantism. Because of these delays and changes, Margaret and Thomas married without the Pope's permission. Their marriage was later approved by the English Parliament in March 1559.
Margaret at the Coronation
In January 1559, Margaret, now the Duchess of Norfolk, took part in the coronation of Queen Elizabeth I. She and Lady Margaret Douglas, who was the queen's cousin, were the two main ladies of honor. They rode behind the queen in her parade. The next day, Margaret helped carry the new queen's long dress into Westminster Abbey for the coronation ceremony. After the coronation, the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk went to their home in Kenninghall.
Margaret's Children
Margaret and the Duke of Norfolk had four children together:
- Lady Elizabeth Howard (born 1560), who sadly died when she was very young.
- Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk (1561-1626). He became an important noble later in life.
- Lady Margaret Howard (1562-1591). She married Robert Sackville, 2nd Earl of Dorset.
- Lord William Howard (1563-1640). He lived at Naworth Castle.
Margaret's Death
In December 1563, Margaret had just given birth to her fourth child. Even though she was still weak, she wanted to be with her husband for Christmas. She left her home at Audley End to travel. During her journey, she became very sick with a breathing problem. Her illness got worse, and she passed away in Norwich on January 9, 1564.
Margaret was first buried at St. John the Baptist's church in Norwich. But soon after, her body was moved to the Church of St Michael the Archangel in Framlingham, Suffolk. A large tomb was built there to honor her and Thomas's first wife, Mary FitzAlan.
In 1842, Margaret's tomb was opened. It was found to be almost empty, with only a skull and some ashes. It's possible that her remains were later moved to the Fitzalan Chapel in Arundel.
