William Jennings Capell

For other people with the same name, see William Capell (disambiguation).
For other people with the same name, see William Jennings (disambiguation).

William Jennings "Bill" Capell (born 9 August 1952), an American retired grocery clerk from Yuba City, California, is the heir presumptive to the Earldom of Essex. He will become the 12th earl if the current earl, Paul Capell, 11th Earl of Essex (currently 81 and unmarried), predeceases him without in-wedlock male issue.[1]

Claim

Capell had considered renouncing the earldom to maintain his United States citizenship (under the United Kingdom's Peerage Act 1963, a person may disclaim a hereditary peerage). U.S. law, however, requires renunciation of noble titles only of persons seeking to become naturalized citizens and of holders of government office (unless they have congressional authorization). As Capell is neither, there would be no legal impediment to his use of the title as a U.S. citizen; indeed, there is precedent in the case of the Earl of Wharncliffe, currently a Maine construction worker.

Like the sixth and later earls, Capell is descended from the younger son of the fourth Earl. His father, Bladen Horace Capell, claimed the title after the ninth earl died in 1981, but Robert de Vere Capell (1920–2005) eventually proved that his ancestor, Algernon, was older than Bladen's ancestor Adolphus and thus took his seat in the House of Lords in 1989.

Personal life

Capell has two children:

  • Jennifer Elaine Capell (b. 1974), married Alfred Cabrera in 2004
  • Kevin Devereux Capell (b. 1982)

Should Capell succeed to the earldom, his son would acquire the courtesy title Viscount Malden and his daughter Lady Jennifer Cabrera.

In 2005, Capell made his first visit to England with his wife, daughter, and son-in-law. The visit was televised on the tabloid show Inside Edition.[1]

Family tree

Recent relations

(Frances Hanbury Williams, d.1759)William Anne Capell, 4th EarlHarriet Bladen d.1821
George Capell, 5th EarlThe Hon. John Capel
m. Lady Caroline Paget
Arthur Capell, 6th Earl
m. Lady Caroline Beauclerk		The Hon. Algernon Capell
m. Caroline Paget		The Hon. Adolphus Capell
m. Charlotte Maynard
Arthur de Vere Capell, Viscount Malden
m. Emma Meux		Charles Capell
m. Alice Bellairs		Rev. Horatio Bladen Capell
m. Ada Augusta Howkins
George de Vere Capell, 7th Earl
m. Eleanor Hartford		Arthur de Vere Capell
m. Alice Currie		Horace Capell
m. Clara Jackson
Algernon de Vere Capell, 8th Earl
m. Mary Stewart Freeman		Robert de Vere Capell, 10th Earl
m. Doris Tomlinson		Bladen Ozro Capell
m. Madge Crawford
Reginald de Vere Capell, 9th EarlPaul de Vere Capell, 11th EarlBladen Horace Capell
m. Mae Walley
William Jennings Capell
Kevin Capell

References

  1. ^ a b "Blueblood Named Bill Is in Line to Be Called Earl". LA Times. July 25, 2005. Retrieved 2024-03-21.

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