Examine individual changes

'{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific-prefix = [[Grace (style)|Her Grace]] | name = The Duchess of Northumberland | image =Duchess of Northumberland, Jane Percy.jpg | caption =The Duchess officiating at a [[Battle of Britain]] parade in [[Alnwick]], September 2018 | birth_name= Isobel Jane Miller Richard | birth_date= {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1958|5|11}} | birth_place= [[Edinburgh]], Scotland | nationality= British | title=[[Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland]] | monarch=[[Elizabeth II]] | term_start = 2009 | predecessor = [[Sir John Riddell, 13th Baronet|Sir John Riddell]] | seat= [[Alnwick Castle]] | spouse = {{marriage|[[Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland]]|1979}} | blank1 = Net worth | data1 = {{gain}}£315 million<ref name="Telegraph"/><ref name="cage"/> | children = [[Lady Katie Percy]]<br />[[George Percy, Earl Percy]]<br />[[Lady Melissa Percy]]<br />Lord Max Percy | parents = John Richard<br />Angela, Lady Buchan-Hepburn }} '''Isobel Jane Miller Percy, Duchess of Northumberland''' (née '''Richard'''; born 11 May 1958), is a British businesswoman. She has served as [[Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland]] since 2009, and is best known for redeveloping [[The Alnwick Garden]] at [[Alnwick Castle]]. She is the first woman to serve as Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland. Her husband, [[Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland|Ralph]], is the 12th [[Duke of Northumberland]]. == Early life == Jane Richard was born in [[Edinburgh]] in 1958.<ref name="scotsman1"/> She is one of four children of the stockbroker John Richard (1933–2003), as well as sororal grandniece of [[Max Woosnam]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Tennis, golf, cricket, snooker, football – is there anything this man couldn't do?|url=http://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/local-news/tennis-golf-cricket-snooker-football-is-there-anything-this-man-couldn-t-do-1-4020611|accessdate=11 October 2012|newspaper=Northumberland Gazette|date=3 December 2011}}</ref> Her mother, Angela, Lady Buchan-Hepburn (née Scott),<ref name="herald">{{cite news|last=Martine|first=Roddy|title=The Duke of Northumberland|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/the-duke-of-northumberland-1.653279|accessdate=25 November 2012|newspaper=The Herald|date=2 November 1995}}</ref> is the owner of [[Kailzie Gardens]], an income-generating family garden located in the [[Scottish Borders]].{{cn|date=November 2020}} Her parents divorced in the early 1970s and both remarried; her stepmother Christine was a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] group leader on the [[City of Edinburgh Council]],<ref name="independent">{{cite news|title=Tory leader made nuisance calls to husband's ex-wife|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/tory-leader-made-nuisance-calls-to-husbands-exwife-1565115.html|accessdate=8 November 2012|newspaper=The Independent|date=23 December 1992}}</ref><ref name="scotsman">{{cite news|title=John Richard|url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/john-richard-1-664827|accessdate=8 November 2012|newspaper=The Independent|date=11 September 2003}}</ref> while her stepfather was [[Buchan-Hepburn baronets|Sir Ninian Buchan-Hepburn, 6th Baronet]] (1922–1992).<ref name="thepeerage">[http://thepeerage.com/p18739.htm Person Page - 18739], thepeerage.com</ref> As a child, Jane Richard helped her mother maintain Kailzie Gardens<ref name="barber"/> and aspired to become a champion figure-skater, practising for the Scottish Junior Championships at [[Murrayfield Ice Rink]]. She quit when she was 13 and was enrolled at [[Cobham Hall]] in Kent.<ref name="scotsman1">{{cite news|title=Welcome to the garden|url=http://www.scotsman.com/emarket/property-news/welcome-to-the-garden-1-1418372|accessdate=11 November 2012|newspaper=Scotsman|date=8 April 2007}}</ref><ref name="warren">{{cite news|last=Warren|first=Jane|title=A rather daring Duchess|url=http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/273759/A-rather-daring-Duchess|accessdate=23 September 2012|newspaper=Daily Express|date=26 September 2011}}</ref> ==Marriage== At the age of 16, Jane Richard met the 17-year-old [[Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland|Lord Ralph Percy]] at his cousin's birthday party,<ref name="dent"/> and later followed him to [[Oxford]], where he attended the [[University of Oxford]], and she took a secretarial course. They married on 21 July 1979 at [[Traquair]] Parish Church,{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} despite being deemed too young by their parents.<ref name="barber"/> The pair have four children: * [[Lady Katie Percy|Lady Catherine Sarah "Katie" Percy]] (b. 23 June 1982), a gun-maker, motorcycle mechanic and racing driver;<ref name="dent"/><ref name="eden">{{cite news|last=Eden|first=Richard|title=Hogwarts wedding for the Duke of Northumberland's daughter |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/harry-potter/7753973/Hogwarts-wedding-for-the-Duke-of-Northumberlands-daughter.html|accessdate=8 November 2012|newspaper=Daily Telegraph|date=22 May 2010}}</ref> married Patrick Valentine on 26 February 2011.<ref>[http://www.noblesseetroyautes.com/nr01/2011/02/chelsy-davy-au-mariage-de-la-fille-du-duc-de-northumberland/#more-46850 Noblesse et royautés (fr)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313192754/http://www.noblesseetroyautes.com/nr01/2011/02/chelsy-davy-au-mariage-de-la-fille-du-duc-de-northumberland/#more-46850 |date=13 March 2012 }}.</ref> The couple had no children and separated in late 2013 before divorcing in 2014.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/ps-the-new-woman-in-mark-carnegies-life-20150813-giy3d4.html| title = PS: The new woman in Mark Carnegie's life| last = Hornery| first = Andrew| date = 13 August 2015| website = Sydney Morning Herald| publisher = Fairfax Media| access-date = 29 November 2018}}</ref> * [[George Percy, Earl Percy|George Dominic Percy, Earl Percy]] (b. 4 May 1984); [[heir apparent]] to the dukedom and managing director of energy company Cluff Geothermal with [[Paul Younger (engineer)|Paul Younger]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Cluff Geothermal: the team|url=http://www.cluffgeothermal.com/the-team/george-percy|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111116182556/http://www.cluffgeothermal.com/the-team/george-percy|archive-date=16 November 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref> * [[Lady Melissa Percy|Lady Melissa Jane Percy]] (b. 20 May 1987); a fashion designer and former professional tennis player, she married [[Thomas van Straubenzee]], an estate agent and schoolfriend of Princes [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge|William]] and [[Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex|Harry]], on 22 June 2013.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mr T. van Straubenzee and Lady Melissa Percy|url=http://announcements.telegraph.co.uk/engagements/156090/mr-t.-van-straubenzee-and-lady-melissa-percy|access-date=7 November 2012|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=7 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Walker|first=Tim|title=Prince Harry's best friend to marry Harry Potter castle heiress|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/9659503/Prince-Harrys-best-friend-to-marry-Harry-Potter-castle-heiress.html|accessdate=11 November 2012|newspaper=Daily Telegraph|date=7 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Prince William attends Hogwarts wedding sans Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge |url=http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2013/06/prince-william-attends-hogwarts-wedding-sans-catherine-duchess-of-cambridge.html |publisher=zap2it.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130626123434/http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2013/06/prince-william-attends-hogwarts-wedding-sans-catherine-duchess-of-cambridge.html |archive-date=26 June 2013}}</ref> Straubenzee is a godfather of [[Princess Charlotte of Cambridge]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Princess Charlotte to be christened at Sandringham|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33399642|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> The couple had no children and divorced on 2 March 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Duke of Northumberland's daughter gets divorced|url=http://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/update/2016-03-02/duke-of-northumberlands-daughter-gets-divorced/|publisher=ITV News}}</ref> Lady Melissa married for a second time on 19 December 2020 to American financier [[Remy W. Trafelet]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://announcements.telegraph.co.uk/marriages/announcements/keywords/trafelet| title = Telegraph Marriage Announcements| website = Telegraph| access-date = 6 March 2020}} </ref> The couple have one daughter together,<ref>{{cite web| url = http://announcements.telegraph.co.uk/births/announcements/keywords/trafelet| title = Telegraph Birth Announcements| website = Telegraph| access-date = 6 March 2020}} </ref> in addition to Trafelet's three children from his previous marriage.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cope|first=Rebecca|title=The Duke of Northumberland's daughter, Lady Melissa Percy, has given birth to her first child|url=https://www.tatler.com/article/lady-melissa-percy-gives-birth-to-first-child|date=2020-02-25|access-date=2021-03-12|website=Tatler|language=en-GB}}</ref> * Lord Max Ralph Percy (b. 26 May 1990);{{Citation needed|date=March 2020}} married Princess Nora of [[House of Oettingen-Spielberg|Oettingen-Spielberg]], daughter of Prince Albrecht of Oettingen-Spielberg and Angela Jank, on 15 July 2017.<ref>{{cite web|title=Verliebt in Schottland, verheiratet in Dornstadt|url=http://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/noerdlingen/Verliebt-in-Schottland-verheiratet-in-Dornstadt-id42089291.html|publisher=Augsburger Allgemeine}}</ref> at the Mariä Himmelfahrt Castle Chapel at [[Schloss Hirschbrunn]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lord Max Ralph Percy|url=http://thepeerage.com/p6826.htm#i68254|access-date=2021-03-12|website=thepeerage.com}}</ref> The couple have one daughter: ** Romy Jane Percy (born 31 July 2019, [[Munich]])<ref>{{Cite web|last=Gillan|first=Tony|title=Duke and Duchess of Northumberland celebrate birth of their first grandchild|url=https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/people/duke-and-duchess-northumberland-celebrate-birth-their-first-grandchild-488870|date=2019-08-07|access-date=2021-03-12|website=www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk|language=en}}</ref> The couple lived in a farmhouse in Northumberland until 1995, when Lady Ralph Percy's brother-in-law [[Henry Percy, 11th Duke of Northumberland|Henry, 11th Duke of Northumberland]], died from heart failure after an overdose of amphetamines. Her husband succeeded to the [[Duke of Northumberland|dukedom]]; she is the first Duchess of Northumberland not to come from the titled aristocracy.<ref name="scotsman1"/><ref name="barber">{{cite news|last=Barber|first=Lynne|title=Gardener's question time|url=https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2003/aug/03/features.magazine37|accessdate=4 October 2012|newspaper=The Observer|date=3 August 2003}}</ref> As old family friends, the Duke and Duchess [[List of wedding guests of Prince William and Catherine Middleton|attended]] the [[wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton]].<ref name="Telegraph">{{cite news|last1=Nikkhah|first1=Roya|last2=Mendick|first2=Robert|title=Royal wedding: William and Kate's inner circle |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/royal-wedding/8500132/Royal-wedding-William-and-Kates-inner-circle.html|accessdate=6 November 2012|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=8 May 2011}}</ref> ==Entrepreneurship== [[File:The Cascade - geograph.org.uk - 32427.jpg|thumb|The cascade fountain in [[The Alnwick Garden]]]] 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]].<ref name="dent"/> She started the work on the garden in 2000,<ref name="mason">{{cite news|last=Mason|first=Christopher|title=The Versailles of the North |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/garden/17northumberland.html?pagewanted=all|accessdate=11 November 2012|newspaper=Chronicle Live|date=17 July 2008}}</ref> and turned it into one of [[North East England]]'s biggest visitor attractions,<ref name="dent"/> as well as one of the country's most controversial ones.<ref name="proctor"/> In 2003, the garden became a charitable trust separate from her husband's estate, with the Duchess as a fundraiser and one of six trustees.<ref name="barber"/><ref name="mason"/> A practising martial arts enthusiast, she introduced [[Mixed martial arts|cage boxing]] to The Alnwick Gardens and a range of cocktails named after her.<ref name="cage"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Duchess in big drinks mix-up|url=http://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/local-news/duchess-in-big-drinks-mix-up-1-4578775|accessdate=11 October 2012|newspaper=Northumberland Gazette|date=24 May 2012}}</ref> The Duchess, who claims to defy tradition,<ref name="cage"/><ref name="barber"/><ref name="dent">{{cite news|last=Dent|first=Karen|title=The Duchess of Northumberland|url=http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-news/interviews-with-business-people/2010/03/08/the-duchess-of-northumberland-51140-25974403/|accessdate=10 October 2012|newspaper=NE Business|date=8 March 2010}}</ref> has received praise and scorn for The Alnwick Gardens, but has dismissed criticism as "the snobbery element of gardening".<ref name="barber"/> The locals welcomed the restoration and the influx of tourists,<ref name="kavanagh">{{cite news|last=Kavanagh|first=Marianne|title=Women in business: where women rule, UK|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/3355150/Women-in-business-where-women-rule-UK.html|accessdate=11 October 2012|newspaper=NE Business|date=24 November 2007}}</ref> while [[English Heritage]] accused the Duchess of destroying one of the greatest gardens in England.<ref name="warren"/> In 2004, she was hospitalised after collapsing under pressure, and the criticism made her consider resigning the trusteeship and giving up on the project.<ref name="scotsman1"/> In 2012, the Duchess announced her plan to finish reconstruction of The Alnwick Garden by May 2015. She has made arrangements enabling her then to step down from managing it and for the visitor attraction to be franchised out to an external management company.<ref name="proctor">{{cite news|last=Proctor|first=Kate|title=Up close and personal with Duchess of Northumberland|url=http://www.journallive.co.uk/2012/10/13/up-close-and-personal-with-duchess-of-northumberland-61634-32022694/|accessdate=6 November 2012|newspaper=The Journal|date=13 October 2012}}</ref> She has 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.<ref name="journal">{{cite news|last=Black|first=David|title=Duchess of Northumberland agrees new clothing and book deals|url=http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2012/10/25/duchess-of-northumberland-agrees-new-clothing-and-book-deals-61634-32101691/|accessdate=6 November 2012|newspaper=The Journal|date=25 October 2012}}</ref> ==Lord-lieutenancy== On 12 May 2009, having been recommended by Prime Minister [[Gordon Brown]], she was appointed [[Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland]] by [[Queen Elizabeth II]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page19266 |title=Lord-Lieutenant for Northumberland |work=10 Downing Street website |date=12 May 2009 |accessdate=13 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20090706064025/http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page19266 |archive-date= 6 July 2009 }}</ref> The post was once held by her father-in-law [[Hugh Percy, 10th Duke of Northumberland|Hugh, 10th Duke]], and eleven other members of the [[Percy family]], but the Duchess is the first woman to receive this distinction.<ref>{{cite news|last=Black|first=David|title=Duchess of Northumberland given a unique honour|url=http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2009/05/19/duchess-of-northumberland-given-a-unique-honour-61634-23658144/|accessdate=11 November 2012|newspaper=The Journal|date=19 May 2009}}</ref> She was, in 2011, patron of 160 charities.<ref name="cage">{{cite news|last=Hollingshead|first=Iain|title=Cage fighting? At Alnwick Castle?|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/periodproperty/8808634/Cage-fighting-At-Alnwick-Castle.html|accessdate=10 October 2012|newspaper=Daily Telegraph|date=6 October 2011}}</ref> ==Publications== *''The Poison Diaries'', {{ISBN|978-0-00-736285-1}} *''Alnwick Castle, The Home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland" (2012) by James McDonald, Foreword by The Duchess of Northumberland, {{ISBN|978-0-7112-3237-2}} ==References== {{reflist|30em}} ==External links== *[http://www.alnwickgarden.com/ Official website of The Alnwick Garden] {{s-start}} {{s-hon}} {{s-bef| before = [[Sir John Riddell, 13th Baronet|Sir John Riddell]] }} {{s-ttl| title = [[Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland]] | years = 2009– present}} {{s-inc }} {{s-prec|uk}} {{s-bef| before = [[Duke of Manchester|The Duchess of Manchester]] }} {{s-ttl| title = [[United Kingdom Order of Precedence|Ladies]]}} {{s-fol| after = [[Maurice FitzGerald, 9th Duke of Leinster|The Duchess of Leinster]]}} {{s-end}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Northumberland, Jane Percy, Duchess of}} [[Category:1958 births]] [[Category:Businesspeople from Edinburgh]] [[Category:Duchesses of Northumberland|Jane]] [[Category:Lord-Lieutenants of Northumberland]] [[Category:British gardeners]] [[Category:British women in business]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Percy family|Jane]] [[Category:People educated at Cobham Hall School]]'