A masque written by Howard was produced at court during the reign of Edward VI, and he is mentioned by name in the Langham letter, which describes the Earl of Leicester's entertainment of Queen Elizabeth at Kenilworth Castle in July 1575.

However Howard's financial situation was alleviated in 1540 when his sister, Katherine, married King Henry VIII as his fifth wife.

The King granted Howard a pension of 100 marks, several manors, and, together with his brother Charles,[5] a licence to import Gascon wine.

[9] Howard was appointed carver to Queen Mary's husband, Philip II of Spain, but was unable to take up the position when the King arrived in England in 1554 with his own entourage of Spanish servants.

[6] In his latter years Howard lived in Kent, where he served as a Justice of the Peace and was certified by Archbishop Matthew Parker as 'favourable to sound religion'.