In 1697,
King William III created his Dutch favourite
Arnold Joost van Keppel Earl of Albemarle in the Peerage of England. He was made
Baron Ashford, of Ashford in the County of Kent, and
Viscount Bury, in the County of Lancaster, at the same time. The motive for choosing this title was probably that, apart from its traditions, it avoided the difficulty created by the fact that the Keppels had as yet no territorial possessions in the British Islands. Lord Albemarle was succeeded by his only son, the second Earl. He was a general in the army and also served as titular
Governor of Virginia and as
Ambassador to France.
Albemarle County in Virginia is named in his honour, even though he never set foot in North America (but, instead, saw plenty of "North Britain" after the Battle of Culloden in 1746). He married
Lady Anne Lennox, daughter of
Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, illegitimate son of
King Charles II. His eldest son, the third Earl, was also a successful military commander, best known as the commander-in-chief of the
invasion and occupation of Havana and west Cuba in 1762. He was succeeded by his son, the fourth Earl. He served as
Master of the Buckhounds and as
Master of the Horse. His second but eldest surviving son, the fifth Earl, was also a soldier and fought at the
Battle of Waterloo at an early age. He later represented
Arundel in the
House of Commons. He was childless and was succeeded by his younger brother, the sixth Earl who lived on his estate at Drumsna in County Leitrim, Ireland, for much of his life. He also fought at Waterloo in early life and was later promoted to general. Albemarle also sat as
Member of Parliament for
East Norfolk and
Lymington. His only son, the seventh Earl, was a soldier and politician. At first a
Liberal, he held minor office under
Lord Palmerston and
Lord Russell from 1859 to 1866. In 1876, he was summoned to the
House of Lords through a
writ of acceleration in his father's junior title of Baron Ashford. He had previously joined the
Conservative Party and served under
Benjamin Disraeli and
Lord Salisbury as
Under-Secretary of State for War. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the eighth Earl. He was a colonel in the army and also briefly represented
Birkenhead in Parliament. the titles are held by his great-grandson, the tenth Earl, who succeeded his grandfather in 1979. Lord Albemarle is also in remainder to the ancient
barony of de Clifford as the great-great-great-great-grandson of Elizabeth Southwell, daughter of Edward Southwell, 20th Baron de Clifford, and wife of the fourth Earl of Albemarle. Several other members of the Keppel family have also gained distinction.
Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel, second son of the second Earl, was a prominent naval commander, when he passed his home
Elveden Hall to his nephew the 1st Earl Albemarle, who sold it.
William Keppel, third son of the second Earl, was a
lieutenant-general in the army.
Frederick Keppel, fourth son of the second Earl, was
Bishop of Exeter.
Sir Henry Keppel, fourth son of the fourth Earl, was an
admiral in the
Royal Navy.
Sir Derek Keppel, second son of the seventh Earl, was a soldier and prominent member of the Royal household.
George Keppel, third son of the seventh Earl, was the husband of
Alice Edmondstone, one of the many mistresses of
King Edward VII, and the father (although his paternity has been questioned) of the writer and socialite
Violet Trefusis and of Mrs. Sonia Cubitt. The latter was the grandmother of
Queen Camilla.
Coat of arms The heraldic blazon for the coat of arms of the Keppel family is:
Gules, three escallops argent, crest: earls-crown-proper.
Earls of Albemarle (1697) •
Arnold Joost van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle (1670–1718) •
Willem Anne van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle (1702–1754) •
George Keppel, 3rd Earl of Albemarle (1724–1772) •
William Charles Keppel, 4th Earl of Albemarle (1772–1849) • William Keppel, Viscount Bury (1793–1804) •
Augustus Frederick Keppel, 5th Earl of Albemarle (1794–1851) •
George Thomas Keppel, 6th Earl of Albemarle (1799–1891) •
William Coutts Keppel, 7th Earl of Albemarle (1832–1894) •
Arnold Allan Cecil Keppel, 8th Earl of Albemarle (1858–1942) •
Walter Egerton George Lucian Keppel, 9th Earl of Albemarle (1882–1979) • Derek William Charles Keppel, Viscount Bury (1911–1968) •
Rufus Arnold Alexis Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle (born 1965) The
heir apparent is the present holder's son, Augustus Sergei Darius Keppel, Viscount Bury (born 2003).
Title succession chart Line of succession •
Arnold Joost van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle (1670–1718) •
William Anne van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle (1702–1754) •
Gen. George Keppel, 3rd Earl of Albemarle (1724–1772) •
William Charles Keppel, 4th Earl of Albemarle (1772–1849) •
William Keppel, Viscount Bury (1793–1804) •
Augustus Frederick Keppel, 5th Earl of Albemarle (1794–1851) •
Gen. George Thomas Keppel, 6th Earl of Albemarle (1799–1891) •
William Coutts Keppel, 7th Earl of Albemarle (1832–1894) •
Lt.-Col. Arnold Allen Cecil Keppel, 8th Earl of Albemarle (1858–1942) •
Walter Egerton George Lucian Keppel, 9th Earl of Albemarle (1882–1979) •
Derek William Charles Keppel, Viscount Bury (1911–1968) •
Rufus Arnold Alexis Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle (born 1965) •
(1) Augustus Sergei Darius Keppel,
Viscount Bury (born 2003) •
Lt.-Cdr. Walter Arnold Crispin Keppel (1914–1986) •
(2) Crispian Walter John Keppel (born 1948) •
(3) Colin Rupert Harrington Keppel (born 1951) •
(4) Oliver George Rupert Keppel (born 1982) •
(5) William George Crispian Keppel (born 1986) == See also ==