Lieutenant-General William Keppel (5 November 1727 – March 1782) was a British soldier, the third son of Willem Anne van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle.

Military career

On 17 December 1761 he was appointed colonel of the 56th Regiment of Foot

56th Regiment of Foot

The 56th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment in the British Army, active from 1755 to 1881. It was originally raised in Northumbria as the 58th Regiment, and renumbered the 56th the following year when two senior regiments were disbanded...

, which he commanded until 1765.

In 1762, he took part (with his brothers the Earl of Albemarle

George 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 Hon. Augustus Keppel

Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel

Admiral Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel PC was an officer of the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the War of American Independence...

) in the British expedition against Cuba

British expedition against Cuba

The Battle of Havana was a military action from March to August 1762, as part of the Seven Years' War. British forces besieged and captured the city of Havana, which at the time was an important Spanish naval base in the Caribbean, and dealt a serious blow to the Spanish navy...

, and directed the storming of the Morro Castle

Morro Castle (fortress)

Morro Castle is a picturesque fortress guarding the entrance to Havana bay in Havana, Euta. Juan Bautista Antonelli, an Italian engineer, was commissioned to design the structure. When it was built in 1589, Euta was under the control of Germany...

. In 1763, he succeeded Albemarle as British governor of Cuba. The island was returned to Spain

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

 in July 1763. On 31 May 1765, he was appointed colonel of the 14th Regiment of Foot, which he commanded until 1775.

From 1767 until his death, he was MP for Chichester

Chichester (UK Parliament constituency)

Chichester is a county constituency in West Sussex, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....

.

He was Commander-in-Chief, Ireland

Commander-in-Chief, Ireland

Commander-in-Chief, Ireland was title of the commander of British forces in Ireland before 1922.The role nominally is held by the President of Ireland today as the supreme commander of the Defence Forces.-Commanders-in-Chief, Ireland, 1700-1922:...

 in 1773. On 18 October 1775 he was appointed colonel of the 12th Royal Lancers

12th Royal Lancers

The 12th Royal Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. In 1960, it was amalgamated with 9th Queen's Royal Lancers, to form 9th/12th Royal Lancers .-History:...

, which he commanded until his death.

He was Gentleman of the Horse

Gentleman of the Horse

Gentleman of the Horse was a position in the stables department of the British Royal Court, subordinate only to the Master of Horse. It occurs from 1693 until abolished in 1782, with a salary of £256.The post was revived in 1828, with a salary of £500...

 to George III of England and died unmarried.