Who is Edward Fitzalan-Howard, the driving force behind King Charles' majestic coronation?

The coronation of King Charles III is an extravagant event that will garner eyeballs from all around the world. To make sure that the ceremony lights up Westminster Abbey in all its glory, one man remains at work: Edward Fitzalan-Howard. The 66-year-old is the current Earl Marshal and 18th Duke of Norfolk who is responsible for organising the event slated for May 6.

A father of five, he is perceived to be the senior most member of the Catholic Church and the opulent owner of land worth $124 million, according to The Telegraph. He took over as the Earl Marshal after the death of his father Miles Fitzalan-Howard in 2002. The grand old title comes with equally grand duties, such as planning royal occasions like coronations, the State Opening of Parliament, and funeral services.

Running in the Fitzalan-Howard clan for 350 years, the Earl Marshal title requires long-term planning of events. According to The Times, it took 20 long years to plan the funeral of Queen Elizabeth, who died last year at the age of 96. Back then, Edward Fitzalan-Howard was one of the very few people who were part of King Charles' Accession Ceremony at St. James's Palace which was held two days after the Queen's death.

At the palace, he firsthand witnessed former UK PM Liz Truss, Prince William, and Queen Consort Camilla sign the Proclamation of Accession of King Charles. He is an alumnus of the University of Oxford, and the grandson of the man behind Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953 and former PM Winston Churchill's funeral in 1965. 

Duke of Norfolk: The coronation's driving force, banned on the road 

Fitzalan-Howard has been successful in following his grandfather's footsteps, having organised the Queen's funeral and the upcoming coronation in a single year. But behind the royal spotlight, he has pled guilty in a London court for using his cellular device while driving his BMW and not stopping at a red light last year. 

In September 2022, the Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court banned him from driving for six months and fined him about $850. "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. The hardship needs to be exceptional and although we find inconvenience may be caused, we don't find it exceptional hardship," magistrate chair Judith Way said at the time, according to People Magazine.