Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe

Admiral of the Fleet The Right Honourable The Earl Howe
Richard Howe, painted by John Singleton Copley, 1794
Born	(1726-03-08)8 March 1726 London, England
Died	5 August 1799(1799-08-05) (aged 73) London, England
Buried	St Andrew's Church, Langar, Nottinghamshire
Allegiance	Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1740–1799
Rank	Admiral of the Fleet
Commands held	HMS Baltimore HMS Triton HMS Rippon HMS Cornwall HMS Glory HMS Dolphin HMS Dunkirk HMS Magnanime HMS Princess Amelia Mediterranean Fleet North American Station Channel Fleet
Battles/wars	War of the Austrian Succession Jacobite rising of 1745 Seven Years' War American Revolutionary War French Revolutionary Wars
Awards	Knight of the Order of the Garter Large Naval Gold Medal
Spouse(s)	Mary Hartop ​ (m. 1758)​

Admiral of the Fleet Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe, KG (8 March 1726 – 5 August 1799), was a British naval officer. After serving throughout the War of the Austrian Succession, he gained a reputation for his role in amphibious operations against the French coast as part of Britain's policy of naval descents during the Seven Years' War. He also took part, as a naval captain, in the decisive British naval victory at the Battle of Quiberon Bay in November 1759.

In North America, Howe is best known for his service during the American Revolutionary War, when he acted as a naval commander and a peace commissioner with the American rebels; he also conducted a successful relief during the Great Siege of Gibraltar in the later stages of the War.

Howe later commanded the victorious British fleet during the Glorious First of June in June 1794 during the French Revolutionary Wars.