Margaret Audley, Duchess of Norfolk

Margaret Audley
Duchess of Norfolk
Margaret Howard, Duchess of Norfolk by Hans Eworth, 1562
Born	1540
Died	9 January 1564 (aged 23-24)
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 Howard, Countess of Dorset
Father	Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden
Mother	Lady Elizabeth Grey

Margaret Howard (née Audley), Duchess of Norfolk (1540 – 9 January 1564) was the sole surviving child of Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden and Lady Elizabeth Grey, daughter of Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset and Margaret Wotton.

Margaret was a wealthy heiress and married first, without issue, Lord Henry Dudley, the youngest son of John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland. Her lands were confiscated when her father-in-law was found guilty of treason and executed. In 1556, after her husband had been pardoned, they sued in chancery court to gain back her territory in Hertfordshire, which had been claimed by Thomas Castell. Henry Dudley was killed at the storming of St. Quentin on 27 August 1557.

In early 1558, Margaret was betrothed to her fifth cousin, Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk. A papal dispensation was required to wed since his first wife, Lady Mary FitzAlan, had been Margaret’s first cousin. In November 1558 the Catholic Queen Mary I died and was succeeded by Elizabeth I, who began to restore Protestantism to England. Norfolk and his new wife married without the dispensation during the transition of power and in March 1559 Parliament ratified the marriage.

In January 1559, the new Duchess of Norfolk participated in the coronation of Elizabeth I. Lady Margaret Douglas, the queen's cousin, and the Duchess were the two principal ladies of honour who rode behind the queen in her procession from the Tower of Westminster. The following day, she accompanied her husband who carried St Edward's Crown to Westminster Abbey, while she bore the train of the new queen. After the coronation, the Norfolks retired to Kenninghall and did not return to London until the following autumn.