He was the eldest son of Sir Guy Colin Campbell, 4th Baronet and his first wife Mary Arabella Swinnerton Kemeys-Tynte, daughter of Halswell Milborne Kemeys-Tynte. In 1960, he succeeded his father as baronet. Campbell was educated at St. Aubyns Preparatory School, Rottingdean, Eton College and the University of St Andrews.