Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Howard, Bernard Edward
HOWARD, BERNARD EDWARD, twelfth Duke of Norfolk (1765–1842), born at Sheffield on 21 Nov. 1765, was eldest son of Henry Howard (1713-1787) of Glossop, by Juliana, second daughter of Sir William Molyneux, bart., of Wellow, Nottinghamshire. His father was great-grandson of Henry Frederick, earl of Arundel (1608-1652) [q.v.] On 17 Jan. 1799 he was elected F.R.S., and F.S.A. on 20 Feb. 1812. On 16 Dec. 1815 he succeeded as twelfth Duke of Norfolk his third cousin, Charles, eleventh duke [q.v.] Unlike his predecessors he was a Roman catholic, but by act of parliament passed 24 June 1824, he was allowed to act as earl-marshal. He was made a councillor of the university of London in 1825, was admitted to a seat in the House of Lords, after the Roman Catholic Relief Bill of 1829, was nominated a privy councillor 1830, and was elected K.G. 1834. In parliament he steadily supported the Reform Bill. He died at Norfolk House, St. James's Square, London, on 19 March 1842, and was buried at Arundel. A portrait by Pickersgill has been engraved by Sanders. Norfolk married, on 23 April 1789, Elizabeth Bellasis, daughter of Henry, second earl of Fauconberg, and by her, whom he divorced in 1794, had one son, Henry Charles, thirteenth duke of Norfolk [q.v.] His wife afterwards remarried Richard, earl of Lucan, and died in 1819.
[Doyle's Official Baronage; Burke's Peerage; Gent. Mag. 1842, i. 542.]