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My Grandma Was Your Great-Granddad’s Mistress
Alice Keppel was a royal mistress long before her descendant, Camilla Parker-Bowles assumed the position.
Alice Edmonstone was born in Scotland, the youngest daughter of Sir William Edmonstone, 4th Baronet. As minor nobility, she grew up in Duntreath Castle and was a part of upper-class society. She married George Keppel, the seventh son of the 7th Earl of Albemarle. George was a soldier in the British Army, and as a younger son of the Earl, had a limited income. To supplement their lifestyle among the upper echelon of society, Alice offered her services as a lover to richer men. She first embarked on an affair with Ernest Beckett, 2nd Baron Grimthorpe. Some Keppel relations even believed that Beckett was the father of Alice’s daughter, Violet. George encouraged Alice’s affairs, and despite their love for each other, he also indulged in extramarital relations. The arrangement seemed to work out for the Keppels, and they were able to provide a loving family unit for their two children: Violet and Sonia.
Alice had a friendly and flirtatious nature that caused her to become very popular in Edwardian society. Her daughter, Violet, stated: “She not only had a gift of happiness but she excelled in making others happy, she resembled a Christmas tree laden with presents for…
