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'{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific-prefix = [[Grace (style)|Her Grace]] | name = The Duchess of Northumberland | image = | caption = | birth_name= Isobel Jane Miller Richard | birth_date= {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1958|5|11}} | birth_place= [[Edinburgh]] | nationality= British | title=[[Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland]] | monarch=[[Elizabeth II]] | term = 2009 – present | predecessor = [[Sir John Riddell, 13th Baronet|Sir John Riddell]] | seat= [[Alnwick Castle]] | spouse= [[Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland]] | blank1=Networth | data1 = {{gain}}£315 million<ref name="Telegraph"/><ref name="cage"/> | children = Lady Catherine Valentine<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]]. Her husband [[Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland|Ralph]] is the 12th [[Duke of Northumberland]]. == Early life == The Duchess 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]].<ref name="martine">{{cite news|last=Martine|first=Roody|title=Duchess Roots for Green Stuff; Thorns from the Thistle|url=http://www.questia.com/read/1G1-109780856/duchess-roots-for-green-stuff-thorns-from-the-thistle|accessdate=8 November 2012|newspaper=Daily Mail|date=17 February 1999}}</ref> Her parents got 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|last=|first=|title=Tory leader made nuisance calls to husband's ex-wife|url=http://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|last=|first=|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 thepeerage.com]</ref> As a child, she 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|last=|first=|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, she 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 the [[University of Oxford]], where she took a secretarial course. They married on 21 July 1979 at [[Traquair]] Parish Church,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.almanachdegotha.org/id169.html|title=House of Percy|work=Almanach de Gotha|date=|accessdate=8 November 2012}}</ref> despite being deemed too young by their parents.<ref name="barber"/> The pair have four children: * [[Lady Catherine Sarah Valentine]] (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=http://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 to Patrick Valentine since 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)].</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}}</ref> * [[Lady Melissa Jane Percy]] (b. 20 May 1987), a tennis coach;<ref name="dent"/> married [[Thomas van Straubenzee]]<ref>{{cite news|last=Walker|first=Tim|title=Prince Harry's best friend to marry Harry Potter castle heiress|url=http://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>http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2013/06/prince-william-attends-hogwarts-wedding-sans-catherine-duchess-of-cambridge.html</ref> The couple were divorced in 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> * Lord Max Ralph Percy (b. 26 May 1990) 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, Duke of Cambridge, 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=http://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=http://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 [[Elizabeth II|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}}</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=http://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 9780007362851 "Alnwick Castle, The Home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland", (2012) by James McDonald, Foreword by The Duchess of Northumberland, <ref>ISBN 9-780-7112-3237-2/ref> ==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 = [[Henry Pelham-Clinton-Hope, 9th Duke of Newcastle|The Duchess of Newcastle]] }} {{s-ttl| title = [[United Kingdom Order of Precedence|Ladies]]}} {{s-aft| after = [[Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Duke of Leinster|The Dowager<br />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]] [[Category:People educated at Cobham Hall School]]'