Lady Dannatt named as first female Lord Lieutenant 

The Queen has appointed Lady Philippa Dannatt (MBE), a Lay Canon of Norwich Cathedral, as the first ever woman to become the Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk. 

Lady Dannatt (65) will succeed Sir Richard Jewson KCVO JP as Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk on August 5, when Sir Richard retires on his 75th birthday.
 
Philippa Dannatt is a former High Sheriff of Norfolk, an appointment previously held by her father and grandfather.  She is married to General The Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC DL, the former Chief of the General Staff.  Lady Dannatt was born in Keswick, just south of Norwich and has lived there other than when she accompanied her husband abroad or elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

On her appointment as Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk, Lady Dannatt said: “I am deeply honoured and humbled to be appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk in succession to Sir Richard Jewson who has done so much for this county over the 15 years of his tenure. I am most privileged to have been invited by Her Majesty The Queen to be Her Representative within Norfolk – the county in which I grew up and love so much.”

About the role of the Lord-Lieutenant, Lady Dannatt said: “I very much look forward to serving the people of the county of Norfolk in the best way that I can.  With the support of the Vice Lord-Lieutenant and the Deputy Lieutenants, I look forward to developing the work of the Lieutenancy, in particular encouraging volunteering within the county and also promoting mental health fitness especially amongst young people and those working in our farming communities.”

Lady Dannatt (65) was born into an old Norfolk family.  She remains a partner in her family farm.  Whilst serving as a military wife she trained as a professional counsellor and continues to use her experience on a voluntary basis working for the Sue Lambert Trust in Norwich to help survivors of abuse.

She has served as High Sheriff, taking mental health as her theme.  She is a Lay Canon of Norwich Cathedral, Vice President of SSAFA and a Deputy Chair of its Adoption Panel.  She is also President of The Army Widows’ Association, President (Elect) of The Norfolk Club and active Patron of numerous county-based organisations, particularly those involved with mental health.

Lady Dannatt lives in Keswick near Norwich with her husband Richard.  They have four married children and eight young grandsons.
 
The Dannatts worship at their village church in Keswick, and have always felt it right to belong to their local church in the village where Lady Dannatt was born.
 
Of her own Christian faith, she told Network Norfolk: "Faith matures, and perhaps one becomes increasingly aware of the things that are really, really important. I've become more accepting of other people just as they are.
 
"Actually, all that matters at the end of the day is love.  It sounds so simplistic, doesn't it, but what a different place the world would be if we only truly loved our neighbour - whoever, and wherever he or she might be - as ourselves."

Read our previous article about Lady Dannatt.
 
Pictured above is High Sheriff of Norfolk, Lady Pippa Dannatt, at the opening of YMCA Norfolk's My Place facility in Norwich. Picture by Julia Holland.