# William Jennings Capell

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 80 and unmarried), predeceases him without in-wedlock male issue.

## 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.

## Family tree
### Recent relations

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