[1] In 1832, Kerry was returned unopposed to Parliament for Calne, a borough his family had controlled for the Whigs since his ancestor William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne bought out three of its largest estates in the mid-18th century, including Bowood House, which remains the family seat today.
[4] Lord Kerry married Lady Augusta Lavinia Priscilla, daughter of John Ponsonby, 4th Earl of Bessborough, in 1834.
They had one daughter:[1] Following a lengthy illness, Kerry died at Lansdowne House, London, in August 1836, aged 25.
[12] Research in 2012 suggested that Catherine, Princess of Wales (Kate Middleton), might be a collateral descendant of prime minister William Petty, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne (1737–1805), who is the grandfather of Lord Kerry.
The connection might be through Lady Bullock, née Barbara May Lupton (1891–1974) who is the Princess's second cousin, thrice removed.