Jane Percy, Duchess of Northumberland

Marriage At the age of 16, Jane Richard met the 17-year-old Lord Ralph Percy at his cousin's birthday party, George (b. 4 May 1984), the heir apparent to the dukedom; Melissa (b. 20 May 1987), a fashion designer and former professional tennis player; and Max (b. 26 May 1990), an investment analyst.

The couple lived in a farmhouse in Northumberland until 1995, when Lord Ralph's brother Henry, 11th Duke of Northumberland, died from heart failure after an overdose of amphetamines, and Ralph succeeded to the dukedom. As old family friends, the Duke and Duchess attended the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.

Entrepreneurship

The Duchess was unhappy in her ducal role until her husband suggested that she should renovate the Alnwick Garden, a large ornamental garden at the family seat, Alnwick Castle. and turned it into one of North East England's biggest visitor attractions,

A practicing martial arts enthusiast, she introduced cage boxing to the Alnwick Gardens and a range of cocktails named after her. The Duchess, who claims to defy tradition, has received praise and scorn for the Alnwick Gardens, but has dismissed criticism as "the snobbery element of gardening". while English Heritage accused the Duchess of destroying one of the greatest gardens in England. She also arranged for a series of books and titles to be brought out based on the Alnwick Castle archive covering aspects of the life and history of the Percy family estate.

Honours and honorific appointments On 12 May 2009, having been recommended by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, she was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland by Queen Elizabeth II. The post was once held by her father-in-law Hugh, 10th Duke, and eleven other members of the Percy family, but the Duchess is the first woman to receive this distinction. She was, in 2011, patron of 160 charities. On 9 April 2024 it was announced she would step down from the Lord-lieutenancy with effect from 1 May 2024, being succeeded by Caroline Pryer, a retired headteacher.

In the 2024 King's Birthday Honours, she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (DCVO) for her service as lord-lieutenant.

Publications The Poison Diaries, Alnwick Castle, The Home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland (2012) by James McDonald, foreword by The Duchess of Northumberland,