William Courtenay, also known as William Beckford's young paramour 'Kitty', succeeded his father as 3rd Viscount Courtenay in 1788. In the early 1780s he sat to Romney for his portrait commissioned by his admirer William Beckford, the great collector and bibliophile. In 1811 Viscount Courtenay fled to America to escape his creditors. He later moved to Paris where he remained until his death. A few days before he died, the House of Lords revived in his favour the Earldom of Devon which had been considered extinct for nearly three centuries.
A well-known portrait miniature by Richard Cosway, R.A. of William Courtenay in Van Dyck dress was sold Christie's, London, 10 December 2002, lot 120. He also sat to the by the French artist Jean-Baptiste Jacques Augustin in 1824, and the resulting miniature sold Christie's, London, 20 November 2007, lot 105.