Robert William Keate (16 June 1814 – 17 March 1873) was a career British colonial governor, serving as Commissioner of the Seychelles from 1850 to 1852, Governor of Trinidad from 1857 to 1864, Lieutenant-governor of the Colony of Natal from 1867 to 1872,^[1] and Governor of Gold Coast from 7 March 1873 to 17 March 1873.

Keate was born in 1814 in Westminster, London, the second son and one of four children of Robert Keate, the brother of John Keate. His older brother Charles died soon after leaving school. Keate was educated at Eton College and later Christ Church, Oxford.^[2][3] He played some cricket at school, playing at Lord's in his final year against Winchester College and in the annual Eton v Harrow match.^[4] He graduated in 1836 and was awarded his Masters degree in 1842 before being called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1844.^[3]

Keate made his first-class debut for the Gentlemen in the 1832 Gentlemen v Players fixture before going up to Oxford later in the year. At university he played three first-class matches for the university side and in 1835 played the first of 21 matches for MCC. He also played first-class cricket for the Gentlemen of Kent, a Fast Bowlers side, the Gentlemen of England, a Hampshire XI, and an England XI against Kent in 1840. In his 39 first-class matches, he scored 387 runs and took two wickets.^[4][5]