Elizabeth Howard (1563—1646) was an English aristocrat and courtier to Elizabeth I of England.
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Career
She was a daughter of Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham and Catherine Carey.
She was a maid of honour and lady in waiting to Queen Elizabeth I, as was her sister Frances Howard, Countess of Kildare. As a New Year's Day gift in January 1572, Queen Elizabeth gave her a red and white rose jewel that had been given to her by Blanche Parry.
She married Robert Southwell (1563—12 October 1598) of Woodrising, Norfolk, on 17 April 1583. He was the son of Thomas Southwell and his second wife Mary Mansell, a daughter of Rice Mansel (1487–1559).
Thomas Southwell had a daughter with his third wife Nazareth Newton (d. 1583), another Elizabeth Southwell, who was a Maid of Honour to Queen Elizabeth. She was a mistress of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex and mother of Walter Devereux, who married Sir Barentine Moleyns or Molyns of Clapcot.
After Robert Southwell's death in October 1598 Elizabeth Howard was left "a rich widow", and there was a rumour she would marry Sir William Woodhouse of Waxham, a cousin of her fellow courtier Lady Walsingham.
She became a lady of the Privy Chamber to Anne of Denmark in 1603. Her daughter, Elizabeth Southwell, was also a maid of honour to Anna of Denmark. A letter of the Earl of Worcester describing the household in 1604 mentioned that "of late the Lady Sothwell [is] for the drawing chamber". After 1608 her daughters Frances and Katherine were gentlewomen of the Privy Chamber. A "Mrs Southwell", who made an unsuccessful trip to meet the queen in Scotland in May 1603, mentioned in the letters of Captain John Skinner from Berwick-upon-Tweed, was Anne Southwell, an author, the wife of a Sir Thomas Southwell.