Mary Capel | |
|---|---|
| Countess of Essex | |
 Portrait of Lady Mary Bentinck by Godfrey Kneller, 1692 | |
| Tenure | 1698–1714 |
| Known for | Hampton Court Beauties |
| Born | Mary Bentinck 1679 |
| Died | 26 August 1726 (aged 46–47) |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouse(s) | Algernon Capell, 2nd Earl of Essex Sir Conyers Darcy |
| Issue | 3, including William |
| Parents | William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland Anne Villiers |
Mary Capel, Countess of Essex (1679 – August 20, 1726), born Lady Mary Bentinck, was the daughter of William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland, a Dutch and English nobleman who became in an early stage the favourite of stadtholder William, Prince of Orange (the future King of England) and his wife Anne Villiers (died 30 November 1688).
Mary is one of the Hampton Court Beauties who was painted by Sir Godfrey Kneller for Queen Mary II. Despite sharing a surname, Mary's aunt, Barbara Villiers, Viscountess FitzHarding was not the renowned courtesan and Windsor Beauty the Duchess of Cleveland, although there is a relation; the Duchess of Cleveland was Mary's first cousin once removed through her mother, Anne Villiers. Nevertheless, Barbara Villiers was painted by Sir Godfrey Kneller.[1]