| Honorific-Prefix: | The Right Honourable |
| The Earl Peel | |
| Office: | Lord Chamberlain of the Household |
| Term Start: | 16 October 2006 |
| Term End: | 31 March 2021 |
| Predecessor: | The Lord Luce |
| Successor: | The Lord Parker of Minsmere |
| Office1: | Member of the House of Lords |
| Status1: | Lord Temporal |
| Term Label1: | as a hereditary peer |
| Term Start1: | 15 May 1973 |
| Term End1: | 11 November 1999 |
| Predecessor1: | The 2nd Earl Peel |
| Successor1: | Seat abolished |
| Term Label2: | as an elected hereditary peer |
| Term Start2: | 11 November 1999 |
| Predecessor2: | Seat established |
| Birth Name: | William James Robert Peel |
| Birth Date: | 3 October 1947 |
| Nationality: | British |
| Party: | Crossbench |
| Spouse: | |
| Children: | 3 |
| Father: | Arthur Peel, 2nd Earl Peel |
| Alma Mater: | |
| Occupation: | Businessman, peer and politician |
William James Robert Peel, 3rd Earl Peel, (born 3 October 1947), styled Viscount Clanfield until 1969, is a British hereditary peer who was a Conservative peer from 15 May 1973 until October 2006 when, on his appointment as Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household, he became a crossbench (non-partisan) member of the House of Lords.[1]
Peel is the eldest son of Arthur Peel, 2nd Earl Peel, and Kathleen McGrath, daughter of Michael McGrath. He is a great-great-grandson of Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel. He attended Ampleforth College, and then went on to the University of Tours in France and the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester.
Peel was a member of the Prince's Council, part of the Duchy of Cornwall, from 1993 to 2006, and Lord Warden of the Stannaries from 1994 to 2006. He was a member of the Nature Conservancy Council, with English Nature, from 1991 to 1996. He was Chairman of the Game Conservancy Trust from 1994 to 2000, then President from 2000 to 2008, and was President of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust from 1989 to 1996. Peel was also on the Yorkshire Dales National Park Committee for six years and became a Deputy Lieutenant of North Yorkshire in 1998. Peel was elected as one of the 42 Conservative hereditary peers who were to remain in the House of Lords after the House of Lords Act 1999 came into force, he placed 14th in the election with 142 votes.[2] Since July 2006 he has sat as a Crossbench member.[3]
In June 2006, it was announced that Peel would succeed Richard Luce, Baron Luce, as Lord Chamberlain. On 11 October 2006, he kissed hands with The Queen upon his appointment and was invested as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO), and became Chancellor of the Order. On 14 November 2006, Lord Peel was sworn in as a Member of the Privy Council.
In February 2021, Andrew Parker, Baron Parker of Minsmere, was appointed to succeed Peel as Lord Chamberlain. Peel was due to retire at the end of 2020 but extended his notice period as his successor was searched for amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] He retired on 31 March.[5]
On 13 April 2021, Peel returned his Wand and Insignia of Office as Lord Chamberlain and the Badge of Chancellor of the Royal Victorian Order on leaving office. At the same time he was invested with the Royal Victorian Chain.[6]
Peel married Veronica Naomi Livingston Timpson (born 21 January 1950) and had two children: Ashton and Iona. The marriage was dissolved in 1987.
Peel married a second time to Charlotte Clementine Soames (born 18 July 1954), daughter of Christopher Soames, Baron Soames, and his wife, Mary Churchill, daughter of Sir Winston Churchill, on 15 April 1989. They had one daughter, Lady Antonia Peel, in 1991.
| Country | Date | Appointment | Post-nominal letters | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 April 1998 | Deputy Lieutenant of North Yorkshire[7] | DL | ||
| 10 October 2006 | Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order[8] | GCVO | ||
| 14 November 2006 | PC | |||
| 13 April 2021 | Recipient of the Royal Victorian Chain[9] | N/A |