Earl of Arundel

For the Counts of Arundell of the Holy Roman Empire, see Baron Arundell of Wardour.

Arms of d'Aubigny, Earls of Arundel, as blazoned in Charles's Roll of Arms (13th century), for Hugh d'Aubigny, 5th Earl of Arundel (d.1243): Gules, a lion rampant or. These arms were adopted by the family of FitzAlan, successors in the Earldom of Arundel; They were recorded as the arms of Richard FitzAlan, 8th Earl of Arundel (1266-1302) in the Falkirk Roll, Glover's Roll and in the Caerlaverock Poem (1300). They are today shown in the 4th quarter of the arms of the Duke of Norfolk, of the family of Fitz-Alan Howard, who holds the subsidiary title Earl of Arundel

Earl of Arundel is the oldest extant earldom and the oldest extant peerage in the Peerage of England. It is currently held by the Duke of Norfolk, and is used (along with the Earldom of Surrey) by his heir apparent as a courtesy title. It was created in 1138, for the Norman baron Sir William d'Aubigny. Until the mid-13th century, the earls were also frequently known as Earl of Sussex, until this title fell into disuse. At about the same time, the earldom fell to the originally Breton FitzAlan Family, a younger branch of which went on to become the Stuart Family, which later ruled Scotland.

A tradition arose that the holder of Arundel Castle should automatically be Earl of Arundel, and this was formally confirmed by King Henry VI. However, this was not always followed. Some of the Lords of Arundel were never addressed as earl during their lifetime, but nevertheless are counted and numbered as earls here. Other sources may not include some of the earls listed below, and may consider the earldom to have been created more than once.

In his 1834 book on the Earls of Arundel, M. A. Tierney (chaplain to the Duke of Norfolk) maintains that the first incarnation of the earldom was with the House of Montgomery. Roger of Montgomery, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury was one of William the Conqueror's top generals, and William bestowed on him, amongst several hundred other manors, the property at Arundel, with the charge to fortify it with a castle. Montgomery is believed to have built the motte that survives to this day, and is thought to have built a wooden keep on it, overlooking the river Arun. Montgomery and two of his sons are counted by many as being the first incarnation of the earldom, but are often not counted amongst the earls.

In 1580 the 12th Earl, and last FitzAlan to hold the title, died without a male heir. His daughter Mary FitzAlan had married the attainted 4th Duke of Norfolk, and the title now passed to their son, Philip Howard, and the title was only restored to his son following the accession of King James I. The 5th Earl of Arundel, the 5th Howard to hold the title, was restored to the principal Howard title of Duke of Norfolk in 1660, and the title has descended with that Duchy ever since.

In 1842, by Royal Warrant, Henry Howard, 14th Duke of Norfolk and 13th Earl of Arundel, and his siblings, assumed the surname FitzAlan-Howard, used by the family line to the present day.

Earls of Arundel (c. 1143)

• William d'Aubigny, 1st Earl of Arundel (d. 1176)
• William d'Aubigny, 2nd Earl of Arundel (d. 1193)
• William d'Aubigny, 3rd Earl of Arundel (d. 1221)
• William d'Aubigny, 4th Earl of Arundel (d. 1224)
• Hugh d'Aubigny, 5th Earl of Arundel (d. 1243)

• John FitzAlan 6th Earl of Arundel (1223–1267)
• John FitzAlan, 7th Earl of Arundel (1246–1272)
• Richard FitzAlan, 8th Earl of Arundel (1267-1302), received a writ in 1289, at his majority, summoning him to Parliament; this is thought to perhaps be a creation of another Earldom of Arundel.

Second creation (1289)

• Richard FitzAlan, 1st or 8th Earl of Arundel (1267–1302)
• Edmund FitzAlan, 2nd or 9th Earl of Arundel (1285–1326) (forfeit 1326)
• Richard FitzAlan, 3rd or 10th Earl of Arundel (1313–1376) (restored 1331)
• Richard FitzAlan, 4th or 11th Earl of Arundel (1346–1397) (forfeit 1397)

Third creation (1397)

• Thomas FitzAlan, 5th or 12th Earl of Arundel (1381–1415) (restored 1400)
• John FitzAlan, 6th or 13th Earl of Arundel (1385–1421)
• John FitzAlan, 7th or 14th Earl of Arundel (1408–1435)
• Humphrey FitzAlan, 8th or 15th Earl of Arundel (1429–1438)
• William FitzAlan, 9th or 16th Earl of Arundel (1417–1487)
• Thomas FitzAlan, 10th or 17th Earl of Arundel (1450–1524)
• William FitzAlan, 11th or 18th Earl of Arundel (1476–1544)
• Henry FitzAlan, 12th or 19th Earl of Arundel (1512–1580)

Fourth creation (1580)

• Philip Howard, 20th or 13th or 1st Earl of Arundel (1557–1595) (forfeit 1589)
• Thomas Howard, 21st or 14th or 2nd Earl of Arundel (1585–1646) (restored 1604)
• Henry Howard, 22nd of 15th or 3rd Earl of Arundel (1608–1652)
• Thomas Howard, 4th Earl of Arundel (1628–1677) (restored as 5th Duke of Norfolk in 1660)

Thereafter the Earldom of Arundel has been held by the Dukes of Norfolk. The 18th Duke of Norfolk (17th Earl of Arundel of the third creation (29th earl of the second creation, 36th earl of the first creation)) is the current holder.

• Thomas Howard, 5th Duke of Norfolk, 4th Earl of Arundel (1628–1677)
• Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk, 5th Earl of Arundel (1628–1684)
• Henry Howard, 7th Duke of Norfolk, 6th Earl of Arundel (1655–1701)
• Thomas Howard, 8th Duke of Norfolk, 7th Earl of Arundel (1683–1732)
• Edward Howard, 9th Duke of Norfolk, 8th Earl of Arundel (1685–1777)
• Charles Howard, 10th Duke of Norfolk, 9th Earl of Arundel (1720–1786)
• Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk, 10th Earl of Arundel (1746–1815)
• Bernard Howard, 12th Duke of Norfolk, 11th Earl of Arundel (1765–1842)
• Henry Howard, 13th Duke of Norfolk, 12th Earl of Arundel (1791–1856)
• Henry FitzAlan-Howard, 14th Duke of Norfolk, 13th Earl of Arundel (1815–1860)
• Henry FitzAlan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk, 14th Earl of Arundel (1847–1917)
• Bernard FitzAlan-Howard, 16th Duke of Norfolk, 15th Earl of Arundel (1908–1975)
• Miles Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of Norfolk, 16th Earl of Arundel (1915–2002)
• Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk, 17th Earl of Arundel (b. 1956)

The heir apparent is Henry Fitzalan-Howard, Earl of Arundel and Surrey (b. 1987). Next in line of succession are Arundel's brothers, Lords Thomas and Philip Fitzalan-Howard.