Constituency : Norwich 1857-60, Wick Burghs 1860-5, Berwick-upon-Tweed 1868-74
William was the son and heir of the Earl of Albemarle and a direct ancestor of Camilla Parker Bowles and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire winner Judith Keppel. He was educated at Eton and joined the Army in 1843. He saw service in India and Canada as a lieutenant but had to retire on health grounds. From 1850 to 1851 he was Russell's private secretary.
He was first elected for Norwich in 1857 at 25.
After the 1859 election William was Treasurer of the Household but his re-election was declared void for bribery. He soon returned at a by-election at Wick Burghs when Samuel Laing went off to India. He was a keen supporter of extending the franchise. He also spoke in favour of defending Canada against any US aggression.
In 1865 William made way for Laing's return and contested Dover unsuccessfully. In 1868 he was elected for Berwick-upon-Tweed serving until 1874 when the Liberals lost one of the seats to the Tories. He responded by joining the latter and narrowly lost at a by-election in Stroud in 1875.
William became Baron Ashford and went to the Lords in 1876. At some point he switched his allegiance to the Tories and became under-secretary of state for war in 1878. He resumed that office under Lord Salisbury from 1885 to 1886.
William also wrote a couple of histories of North America. In 1879 he converted to Catholicism. Like Lord Elcho he was an enthusiast for homeopathic medicine. He also painted watercolours. He played cricket and cycled.
In 1891 he succeeded his father but died three years later of a paralytic stroke aged 62.
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