William Feilding, 1st Earl of Denbigh

William Feilding, 1st Earl of Denbigh (c. 1587 – 8 April 1643) was an English courtier and peer who served as the Custos Rotulorum of Warwickshire from 1628 to 1643.

As the brother-in-law of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, the royal favourite of James VI and I, he became involved in several major events during the Stuart period.

Gardiner, in the 19th century, described Feilding as "the plain country gentleman who had the good luck to marry Buckingham's sister in the days of her poverty.

[2] Denbigh played a leading role in a number of failed political and military interventions in Europe that had been initiated by Buckingham.

Though he had elaborately decorated letters of recommendation from the King, Denbigh did not travel as an official ambassador and journeyed with only six servants: the East India Company were unenthusiastic about their aristocratic passenger.

[13] On the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642, Denbigh served as a Cavalier under Prince Rupert of the Rhine and was present at the Battle of Edgehill.

[3] Sir William and his wife, Susan Villiers, had six children: In 1632, Feilding's daughters Mary and Anne, and his niece Goditha Arden, a maid of honour, joined Henrietta Maria to perform in the court masque The Shepherd's Paradise.

His eldest son, Basil, inherited the title of Earl of Denbigh and famously fought against his father during the Civil War.