The Earl of Albemarle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 5 June 1702 Whitehall Palace |
| Died | 22 December 1754 (aged 52) Paris |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Service |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1717-1748 |
| Rank | Lieutenant-general |
| Unit | Colonel, 29th Foot[a] 1731-1733 Coldstream Guards 1744-1754 |
| Commands | Governor of Virginia 1737-1754 Commander, Scotland 1746-1747 |
| Battles / wars | War of the Austrian Succession Dettingen Fontenoy Lauffeld Jacobite rising of 1745 Culloden |
| Awards | Lord of the Bedchamber 1722-1751 Knight of the Bath 1725 Knight of the Garter 1750 Groom of the Stole 1751–1754 |
| Relations | Admiral Augustus Keppel, 1725-1786 (son) |
Lieutenant-General Willem (or William) Anne van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle KG KB PC (5 June 1702 – 22 December 1754) was a British soldier, diplomat and courtier.
He held various roles in the household of George II (1683-1760), who was a personal friend, participated in negotiations to end the 1718 to 1720 War of the Quadruple Alliance and was British Ambassador to France from 1748 to 1754.
During the 1740 to 1748 War of the Austrian Succession, he commanded troops in Flanders and was transferred to Scotland following the outbreak of the Jacobite rising of 1745. After Culloden, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Scotland before returning to Flanders in 1747.
Despite his many offices and inheriting a large fortune, he was known as the "Spendthrift Earl" and died in 1754 leaving his family nothing but debts.
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