Duke of Norfolk: Driving ban for peer, 65, who owns Sheffield land and is organising King's coronation

The Duke of Norfolk, Edward Fitzalan-Howard, helped arrange the Queen’s funeral and will do the same for the upcoming coronation of King Charles III.

But his argument that he needs his driving licence to organise the coronation failed to convince magistrates not to ban him from the roads.

Who is the Duke of Norfolk and what is his connection to Sheffield?

The 65-year-old pleaded guilty at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court on Monday, September 26, to using his mobile phone behind the wheel, and he was banned from driving for six months.

His family have historically been significant landowners in Sheffield and he recently sold a significant plot in Attercliffe for housing to be built. He has described Sheffield as being ‘dear to my heart’.

Fitzalan-Howard was stopped by police on April 7 after driving his BMW through a red light in Battersea, south-west London, said prosecutor Jonathan Bryan.

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Mr Bryan told magistrates that the duke had informed officers he had “not been aware of going through the red light but accepted this was because he was using his mobile phone” to communicate with his wife.

The court heard the duke had already totted up nine penalty points on his driving licence from two previous speeding offences in 2019, meaning a further six points would lead to a ban.

The highest-ranking duke in England argued he would suffer “exceptional hardship” if he was disqualified, highlighting his official duties along with his conservation work to prevent “nature’s complete collapse” and “the end of mankind”.

Why was the Duke of Norfolk banned from driving?

But a bench of magistrates, chaired by Judith Way, endorsed his licence with six points and banned him from driving for six months.

“We accept that this a unique case because of the defendant’s role in society and in particular in relation to the King’s coronation,” said Ms Way.

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“The hardship needs to be exceptional and although we find inconvenience may be caused, we don’t find it exceptional hardship.

“We consider alternative means of hardship are available.”

The duke, who is the most senior lay member of the Roman Catholic Church in Britain and a crossbench peer in the House of Lords, was also fined £800 and ordered to pay another £400 in other costs.

Ms Way said that he had the means to employ drivers, although they would need security clearance, adding: “We do not accept employees on your estate are in danger of losing their jobs.”

Fitzalan-Howard gave evidence for more than 30 minutes in secret after magistrates ruled the media and public should be excluded from court for reasons of “national security”.

It followed an application from his lawyer Natasha Dardashti, who said details of the coronation, which had not yet been discussed with the King, Prime Minister Liz Truss or Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, should remain private until after the event.

Before ordering the press, who had argued against the submissions, to leave court, Ms Way said: “We grant the application by the defence but only in relation to issues relating to national security and the coming coronation.”

However, it is understood cross-examination of the duke involving other matters also took place behind closed doors.