Karl was born into the family's great equine tradition and inherited a love of horses.

The Empress arranged to visit Liverpool and see the famous steeplechase which provided Kinsky with his first opportunity to witness the event.

[1][2] Karl married on 7 January 1895 in Herdringen, Arnsberg, to Countess Elisabeth Wolff-Metternich zur Gracht (1874–1909).

First, he was made Austro-Hungarian attaché to Britain; and second, he rode his own horse, Zoedone, to win the 1883 Grand National.

He is portrayed in the 1974 television series, Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill, by the actor Jeremy Brett.