Derek Keppel


Sir Derek William George Keppel was a member of the British Royal Household.

Early life

Keppel was a son of the 7th Earl of Albemarle and was educated at Charterhouse School. He joined the army and rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in The Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles and served in India.

Courtier

Keppel was appointed an equerry to the Duke of York in 1893, and was reappointed as such when the latter became Prince of Wales in 1901. On the Prince´s accession as King George V in 1910, Keppel was appointed Deputy Master of the Household and in 1912 promoted to Master of the Household, serving in this post until the King's death in 1936. He continued as the only Master of the Household under King Edward VIII's short reign, and on the accession of King George VI he returned to being an equerry until his own death in 1944.

Family

On 20 June 1898, he married Hon. Bridget Louisa Harbord,, a daughter of the 5th Baron Suffield, and they had three girls.

Honours

British decorations
Foreign decorations