Alice Frederica Edmonstone Keppel (14 October 1869 – 22 November 1947) was a British socialite and the most famous mistress of Edward VII of the United Kingdom, the eldest son of Queen Victoria. October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in Leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1869 (MDCCCLXIX) is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... November 22 is the 326th day (327th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... Edward VII (Albert Edward) (9 November 1841–6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King of the Commonwealth Realms, and the Emperor of India. ... Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and Empress of India from 1 January 1877, until her death. ...

Early life

Keppel was born Alice Frederica Edmonstone, to William and Mary Elizabeth Edmonstone, née Parsons, at Duntreath Castle on Loch Lomond, the scion of a distinguished family. Her father was the 4th Baronet Edmonstone and a retired Admiral in the Royal Navy; her grandfather had been Governor of the Ionian Islands, Loch Lomond Loch Lomond (pronounced LOW-mond) (Scottish Gaelic Loch Laomainn) is a Scottish loch located in both the western lowlands of Central Scotland and the southern Highlands. ... A baronet (traditional abbreviation Bart, modern abbreviation Bt), is the holder of an hereditary title awarded by the British Crown, known as a baronetcy. ... Admiral is a word from the Arabic term Amir-al-bahr (commander of the sea). ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the senior service of the British armed services, being the oldest of its three branches. ... The Ionian Islands (Modern Greek: Ionia Nisia, Ιόνια Νησιά; Ancient Greek: Ionioi Nesoi, Ιόνιοι Νήσοι) are a group of islands in Greece. ...

She had one brother and seven sisters, Alice being the youngest. Alice married George Keppel, son of William Keppel, 7th Earl of Albemarle and four years her senior, on June 1, 1891. William Coutts Keppel, 7th Earl of Albemarle (April 15, 1832 - August 28, 1894), was a British soldier and politician. ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... 1891 (MDCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

Extra-marital affairs

Even early on, Alice Keppel had a reputation for adultery, and it was rumoured that her eldest daughter was not fathered by her husband William, but in fact was the daughter of the future Lord Grimthorpe, one of her lovers. [1] Her extra-marital affairs were usually initiated by her to gain a better social status. She became so successful as a courtesan, that it has eclipsed any accomplishments of her husband William. Most of her affairs were with his full knowledge, and Edward VII even visited her house on a regular basis, her husband conveniently leaving during the visits. A courtesan is a person paid and/or supported for the giving of social companionship and intimate liaisons to one or more partners. ...

Although it might sound unusual by today's standards, extra marital affairs were quite common and even accepted in wealthy circles of that time. It was not unusual for both the husband and the wife to take a lover, or lovers, as long as they were semi-discreet in their encounters. It was (if not acceptable) common for well-to-do women of the time to act as courtesans for the benefit of their husband's career, or their own social status.

In 1898, Keppel met the future Edward VII, then the 56-year old heir to the throne. It was not long before Keppel became one of Edward's many mistresses, despite a twenty-eight year age difference. Their relationship would last until Edward's death in 1910.

Edward took other mistresses, such as actress Lillie Langtry, and socialites Jennie Jerome (mother of Winston Churchill) and Daisy Greville, Countess of Warwick (Frances Brooke). His last two mistresses, contemporary with one another and both beginning between 1898 and 1900, was Alice Keppel and a wealthy daughter of a Stock Exchange member, Agnes Keyser. Keyser was the more acceptable of the two in royal circles, due to her discretion and respect for the monarchy, but mostly due to the fact that she herself was not married. A humanitarian, Keyser's charity to found a hospital for military officers in partnership with her sister was supported by Edward VII. [2] Lillie Langtry [1] (née Emilie Charlotte Le Breton, nicknamed the Jersey Lily) (13 October 1853 – 12 February 1929) was a British actress and courtesan born on the island of Jersey in 1853. ... Jennie Jerome in 1874 Jeanette (Jennie) Jerome [1] CI DStJ, known also as Lady Randolph Churchill (January 9, 1854 – June 9, 1921) was an American society beauty, best known to history as the mother of British prime minister Winston Churchill. ... The Rt Hon. ... Frances Evelyn Daisy Greville, Countess of Warwick [1] (10 December 1861–26 July 1938) was a society beauty and courtesan, and a mistress to King Edward VII. Royal marriage, affairs Born Frances Evelyn Maynard, she was the daughter of The Hon. ... Agnes Keyser was the wealthy daughter of a Stock Exchange member, a humanitarian, and longtime mistress to Edward VII of the United Kingdom. ...

However, it was Keppel who was more well-known. "Alice Keppel was a fantastic help to Edward VII, more help than his wife Queen Alexandra could have ever have been", wrote Christopher Wilson, who has done extensive writings on Keppel's great-granddaughter, Camilla Parker Bowles. Keppel was one of the few people in his circle who was able to defuse Edward VII's cantankerous mood swings. [3] Camilla Parker Bowles (born July 17 1947) was mistress, now girlfriend, of Charles, Prince of Wales. ...

Aristocratic and royal approval of Keppel was mixed. Extra-marital relationships with both spouses being aware were not uncommon in the period, with either one or both the wife and husband having discreet lovers. Edward's wife Alexandra of Denmark was on good enough terms with Keppel to send her a consoling letter when her husband was stricken by typhoid, and to permit her at Edward's side when the King was on his deathbed. However, she reportedly merely tolerated Keppel, and did not like her. Alexandra thoroughly did enjoy the company of Edward's former mistress Jennie Jerome, finding her pleasent and appealing. She also was said to be quite fond of Agnes Keyser, with whom Edward was involved until his death. However she resented Keppel who, although somewhat discreet, would still show up at functions to which Alexandra was accompanying Edward VII, which irritated the queen. [4] This page is about the wife of Edward VII of the United Kingdom. ... This is about the disease typhoid fever. ...

High-ranking aristocrats such as the Duke of Norfolk, the Duke of Portland, and the Marquess of Salisbury were decidedly cool towards the King's mistress. The Most Noble Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk (27 December 1847–11 February 1917) was an English nobleman and philanthropist. ... The Most Noble William John Arthur Charles James Cavendish-Bentinck, 6th Duke of Portland KG PC (December 28, 1857–April 26, 1943) was the son of Lt. ... James Edward Hubert Gascoyne-Cecil, 4th Marquess of Salisbury (October 23, 1861 - April 4, 1947) was the eldest son and heir of the Victorian statesman Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury. ...

After Edward VII's Death

Upon Edward's death, Keppel discreetly left for Ceylon for two years, although she later returned to England.

Later, upon hearing that Edward VIII was renouncing the throne to marry Wallis Simpson, Keppel remarked that "things were done much better in my day." (as per [[5]]). Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David Windsor), later The Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor (23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972), was the second British monarch of the House of Windsor. ... Wallis, Duchess of Windsor and the Duke of Windsor on their wedding day Bessie Wallis Warfield, more widely known as Wallis Simpson and later The Duchess of Windsor (June 19, 1896–April 24, 1986) was the wife of Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor, the former King Edward VIII of the...

Her point in making that comment was simply that during the years prior to, during, and for some time after her affair with Edward VII, extra-marital affairs among royalty, and the wealthy and powerful, were accepted as being normal. Both wives and husbands in the social elite would often take lovers. However, there was an unwritten rule that when involved romantically in an extra-marital affair, you did not disrupt your lover's personal life, nor they yours, simply as a matter of respect. This would later come into play with the lesbian lover of Keppel's daughter, Vita Sackville-West, who broke that rule regularly with her affairs, much to Keppel's dismay. And it was to this rule to which Keppel was making reference in regards to Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson. A lesbian is a homosexual woman who is aesthetically, sexually and romantically attracted to other women. ... Vita Sackville-West Vita Sackville-West (March 9, 1892 – June 2, 1962) was an English poet, novelist and gardener. ...

In his book, titled Edward VII's Last Loves: Alice Keppel and Agnes Keyser, author Raymond Lamont-Brown places emphasis on the fact that the influence inside the royal court that both Alice Keppel and Agnes Keyser had, on politics and diplomacy of the time, cannot be underrated. [6]

Scandalous Family Reputations

• Keppel's daughter Violet Trefusis became an author and was famous for her sexual escapades in her own right, thanks to a high-profile and volatile lesbian relationship with Vita Sackville-West. Trefusis later became the chosen lover of Singer sewing machine heiress Winnaretta Singer.

• Also, Keppel's great-granddaughter Camilla Parker-Bowles, the future Duchess of Cornwall, became a famous mistress and, later, wife of Charles, Prince of Wales decades after Keppel's death.

• In 1995, an image of Keppel was placed on a British postage stamp with her then-infant daughter, Violet.