William Keppel, 4th Earl of Albemarle
Encyclopedia
William Charles Keppel, 4th Earl of Albemarle GCH
, PC (14 May 1772 – 30 October 1849), briefly styled Viscount Bury between May and October 1772, was a British Whig politician.
, and Anne, daughter of Sir John Miller, 4th Baronet. He succeeded in the earldom in October 1772, aged five months, on the early death of his father.
in 1806, Lord Albemarle was appointed Master of the Buckhounds
by Lord Grenville,. Thereby he became an officer in the Master of the Horse's department in the Royal Household and also the equivalent of today's Representative of Her Majesty at Ascot. The Mastership of the Buckhounds being a political office, the holder changed with every government and because the Earl's patrons fell in March 1807 he lost his position after only one year. He remained out of office until 1830 when he was sworn of the Privy Council and made Master of the Horse
by Lord Grey
which was the third ranking officer at court (after the Lord Chamberlain and Lord Steward). He continued in this office until November 1834, the last few months under the premiership of Lord Melbourne
, and held the same post under Melbourne between 1835 and 1841. Consequently he was responsible for managing all matters equine at the changeover from one reign to the next and, in particular, at Queen Victoria's Coronation. The Earl was accorded the honour of travelling to Westminster Abbey inside the Gold State Coach with the nineteen year old, and as yet unmarried Victoria, who recorded in her diary: "At 10 I got into the State Coach with the Duchess of Sutherland and Lord Albemarle...It was a fine day, and the crowds of people exceeded what I have ever seen; their good humour and excessive loyalty was beyond everything, and I really cannot say how proud I feel to be the Queen of such a nation".
In 1833 he was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Hanoverian Order
.
After his first wife's death in November 1817, aged 41, Lord Albemarle married, secondly, Charlotte Susannah, daughter of Sir Henry Hunloke, 4th Baronet, on 11 February 1822. This marriage was childless. He died at Quidenham
, Norfolk
, in October 1849, aged 77, and was succeeded in the earldom by his second but eldest surviving son, Augustus. The Countess of Albemarle died at Twickenham
, London
, in October 1862, aged 88.
Royal Guelphic Order
The Royal Guelphic Order, sometimes also referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent . It has not been conferred by the British Crown since the death of King William IV in 1837, when the personal union of the...
, PC (14 May 1772 – 30 October 1849), briefly styled Viscount Bury between May and October 1772, was a British Whig politician.
Background
Albemarle was the only child of General George Keppel, 3rd Earl of AlbemarleGeorge Keppel, 3rd Earl of Albemarle
General George Keppel, 3rd Earl of Albemarle KG PC , styled Viscount Bury until 1754, was a British soldier nobleman best known for his capture of Havana in 1762 during the Seven Years' War.-Early life:...
, and Anne, daughter of Sir John Miller, 4th Baronet. He succeeded in the earldom in October 1772, aged five months, on the early death of his father.
Political career
On the formation of the Ministry of All the TalentsMinistry of All the Talents
The Ministry of All the Talents was a national unity government formed by William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville on his appointment as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 11 February 1806 after the death of William Pitt the Younger...
in 1806, Lord Albemarle was appointed Master of the Buckhounds
Master of the Buckhounds
The Master of the Buckhounds was an officer in the Master of the Horse's department of the British Royal Household. The holder was also His/Her Majesty's Representative at Ascot. It was a political office, so the holder, who was always a nobleman, changed with every change of government. The office...
by Lord Grenville,. Thereby he became an officer in the Master of the Horse's department in the Royal Household and also the equivalent of today's Representative of Her Majesty at Ascot. The Mastership of the Buckhounds being a political office, the holder changed with every government and because the Earl's patrons fell in March 1807 he lost his position after only one year. He remained out of office until 1830 when he was sworn of the Privy Council and made Master of the Horse
Master of the Horse
The Master of the Horse was a position of varying importance in several European nations.-Magister Equitum :...
by Lord Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC , known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 22 November 1830 to 16 July 1834. A member of the Whig Party, he backed significant reform of the British government and was among the...
which was the third ranking officer at court (after the Lord Chamberlain and Lord Steward). He continued in this office until November 1834, the last few months under the premiership of Lord Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, PC, FRS was a British Whig statesman who served as Home Secretary and Prime Minister . He is best known for his intense and successful mentoring of Queen Victoria, at ages 18-21, in the ways of politics...
, and held the same post under Melbourne between 1835 and 1841. Consequently he was responsible for managing all matters equine at the changeover from one reign to the next and, in particular, at Queen Victoria's Coronation. The Earl was accorded the honour of travelling to Westminster Abbey inside the Gold State Coach with the nineteen year old, and as yet unmarried Victoria, who recorded in her diary: "At 10 I got into the State Coach with the Duchess of Sutherland and Lord Albemarle...It was a fine day, and the crowds of people exceeded what I have ever seen; their good humour and excessive loyalty was beyond everything, and I really cannot say how proud I feel to be the Queen of such a nation".
As Horseman and Racehorse Owner
In addition to managing the bloodstock of two successive Heads of State, when the horse was still a main mode of transport, the 4th Earl of Albemarle was also a leading racehorse owner of his day. As an owner, William Charles won two Classics (the 1000 Guineas in 1838 and the 2000 Guineas in 1841), and the Ascot Gold Cup three times (with two different horses) in 1843,1844, and 1845. The second Gold Cup win, in 1844, was by a colt which the Earl had not yet named. One of the witnesses of this triumph, Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, let William Charles know how excited he had been by the race, and the Earl promptly named his horse "The Emperor" in honour of the distinguished Russian visitor. In 1845, when "The Emperor" won the Gold Cup (now renamed The Emperor's Plate) again the Earl received a massive silver centrepiece paid for by the Tsar as the race prize based on Falconet's well known sculpture of Peter the Great in St Petersburg, the base flanked by Russian equestrian troops. William Charles's horses were also victorious in the 1840s in the Cesarevitch and Cambridgeshire major handicaps run at Newmarket. (Source for the above two paragraphs is "The Newsletter of the Keppel Association, Issue 4, August 2011)In 1833 he was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Hanoverian Order
Royal Guelphic Order
The Royal Guelphic Order, sometimes also referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent . It has not been conferred by the British Crown since the death of King William IV in 1837, when the personal union of the...
.
Family
Lord Albemarle married, firstly, the Hon. Elizabeth Southwell, daughter of Edward Southwell, 20th Baron de Clifford, on 9 April 1792. They had eleven children:- William Keppel, Viscount Bury (1793 – 1804), died young.
- Augustus Frederick Keppel, 5th Earl of AlbemarleAugustus Keppel, 5th Earl of AlbemarleAugustus Frederick Keppel, 5th Earl of Albemarle , styled Viscount Bury from 1804 until 1849, was an English nobleman....
(1794 – 1851), who married Frances Steer. No issue. - Lady Sophia Keppel (c. 1798 – 1824), married Sir James Macdonald, 2nd Baronet and had issue.
- George Thomas Keppel, 6th Earl of AlbemarleGeorge Keppel, 6th Earl of AlbemarleGeneral George Thomas Keppel, 6th Earl of Albemarle DL, FGS, FSA , styled The Honourable from birth until 1851, was a British soldier, Liberal politician and writer.-Background and education:...
(1799 – 1891), through whom is descended Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall - Lady Anne Amelia Keppel (1803 – 1844), married Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of LeicesterThomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester (seventh creation)Thomas William Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester , known as Coke of Norfolk, was a British politician and agricultural reformer. Born to Wenman Coke, Member of Parliament for Derby and his wife Elizabeth, Coke was educated at several schools, including Eton College, before undertaking a Grand Tour of...
, through whom is descended Sarah, Duchess of YorkSarah, Duchess of YorkSarah, Duchess of York is a British charity patron, spokesperson, writer, film producer, television personality and former member of the British Royal Family. She is the former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, whom she married from 1986 to 1996...
; married, secondly, Edward Ellice. - Admiral Hon. Sir Henry KeppelHenry KeppelAdmiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Keppel, GCB, OM was a British admiral, son of the 4th Earl of Albemarle and of his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Lord de Clifford.-Naval career:...
(1809 – 1904), married Katherine Crosby and had issue. - Reverend Hon. Thomas Robert Keppel (1811 – 1863), married Frances Barrett-Lennard, daughter of Sir Thomas Barrett-Lennard, 1st BaronetSir Thomas Barrett-Lennard, 1st BaronetSir Thomas Barrett-Lennard, 1st Baronet FSA, DL was a British politician and baronet.He was the illegitimate son of the 17th Baron Dacre and Elizabeth FitzThomas. Barrett-Lennard was educated at Downing College, Cambridge. He entered the British House of Commons for Essex South in 1832 and was a...
and had issue. - Lady Caroline Elizabeth Keppel (1814 – 1898), married the Very Reverend Thomas GarnierThomas GarnierThomas Garnier, , was Dean of Winchester and a botanist.He was educated at Hyde Abbey School and Worcester College, Oxford...
and had issue. - Lady Mary Keppel (c. 1817 – c. 1898), married Henry Stephenson and had issue.
- Lady Georgiana Charlotte (d. 1854), married William Henry Magan.
- Reverend Hon. Edward Southwell Keppel, Dean of Norwich, married Lady Maria, daughter of Nathaniel Clements, 2nd Earl of LeitrimNathaniel Clements, 2nd Earl of LeitrimNathaniel Clements, 2nd Earl of Leitrim, KP PC , styled The Honourable from 1783 to 1795, and then Viscount Clements to 1804, was an Irish nobleman and politician....
.
After his first wife's death in November 1817, aged 41, Lord Albemarle married, secondly, Charlotte Susannah, daughter of Sir Henry Hunloke, 4th Baronet, on 11 February 1822. This marriage was childless. He died at Quidenham
Quidenham
Quidenham is a small rural village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 576 in 183 households as of the 2001 census...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, in October 1849, aged 77, and was succeeded in the earldom by his second but eldest surviving son, Augustus. The Countess of Albemarle died at Twickenham
Twickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, in October 1862, aged 88.