Prince Augustus Frederick
Duke of Sussex
Portrait by Louis Gauffier, 1793
Spouse	Lady Augusta Murray (m. 1793; an. 1794) Cecilia Underwood, Duchess of Inverness (m. 1831)
Issue
Augustus d'Este Augusta d'Este
House	House of Hanover
Father	George III of the United Kingdom
Mother	Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Born	27 January 1773 Buckingham Palace, Westminster, London
Died	21 April 1843 (aged 70) Kensington Palace, London
Burial	Kensal Green Cemetery, London

The Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex (27 January 1773 – 21 April 1843), was the sixth son of George III of the United Kingdom and his consort, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. He was the only surviving son of George III who did not pursue an army or naval career.

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

His Royal Highness The Prince Augustus Frederick was born at Buckingham Palace. He was the ninth child and sixth son of George III and Queen Charlotte.

Nine-year-old Prince Augustus in 1782, painted by Thomas Gainsborough

He was tutored at home before being sent to the University of Göttingen in Germany in summer 1786, along with his brothers Prince Ernest and Prince Adolphus. Prince Augustus, who suffered from asthma, did not join his brothers in receiving military training in Hanover. He briefly considered becoming a cleric in the Church of England.

He was christened in the Great Council Chamber at St. James's Palace, on 25 February 1773, by Frederick Cornwallis, The Archbishop of Canterbury. His godparents were The Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (his paternal first cousin once-removed, for whom The Earl of Hertford, Lord Chamberlain, stood proxy), Duke George Augustus of Mecklenburg (his maternal uncle, for whom The Earl of Bristol, Groom of the Stole, stood proxy) and Princess Charles of Hesse-Cassel (his first cousin once-removed, for whom The Viscountess Weymouth, Lady of the Bedchamber to The Queen, stood proxy).^[1]

[edit] First marriage

While travelling in Italy, he met Lady Augusta Murray (1768-1830), the second daughter of 4th Earl of Dunmore. The couple married in Rome on 4 April 1793, and again at St. George's, Hanover Square, London on 5 December 1793, without the knowledge or the consent of the King. The King's minister of Hanover affairs Ernst zu Münster was sent to Italy, to escort him back to London.

In August 1794, the Prerogative Court annulled the marriage on the grounds that it contravened the Royal Marriages Act 1772 because it had not been approved by the King. Prince Augustus continued to live with Lady Augusta until 1801, when he received a parliamentary grant of £12,000. Lady Augusta retained custody of the children and received a maintenance of £4,000 a year.

[edit] Peerage

The King created him Duke of Sussex, Earl of Inverness, and Baron Arklow in the peerage of the United Kingdom and a Knight of the Garter on 27 November 1801. Since he died without legitimate issue, the title became extinct.

[edit] Second marriage

The Duke of Sussex married a second time on 2 May 1831 (again in contravention of the Royal Marriages Act) to Lady Cecilia Letitia Buggin (1793-1873), the eldest daughter of Arthur Gore, 2nd Earl of Arran and Elizabeth Underwood; and the widow of Sir George Buggin. It should be noted that even allowing for the irregularity of these marriages, this second marriage would not have been bigamous since Lady Augusta Murray had died the year before. On the same day, Lady Cecilia assumed by Royal Licence the surname Underwood. She was never titled or recognized as the Duchess of Sussex. However, she was created Duchess of Inverness in her own right in 1840.

[edit] Later life

William IV appointed his younger brother Chief Ranger and Keeper of St. James's and Hyde Parks on 29 January 1831. The Duke of Sussex was elected president of the Society of Arts in 1816 and held that post for the rest of his life. He also held the honorary posts of Captain-General and Colonel of the Hon. Artillery Company from 1817 onward. He was president of the Royal Society between 1830 and 1838.

The Duke of Sussex was the favourite uncle of Queen Victoria. He gave her away at her wedding to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. The Duke of Sussex died at Kensington Palace in 1843. In his will he specified that he was not to have a state funeral and was accordingly buried at Kensal Green Cemetery on 5 May 1843.^[2] The Duchess of Inverness continued to reside at Kensington Palace until her death in 1873. She was buried next to her second husband.

[edit] Titles, styles, honours and arms

Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex wearing the robes of a Knight Companion of the Order of the Thistle

British Royalty
House of Hanover
George III
George IV
Frederick, Duke of York
William IV
Charlotte, Queen of Württemberg
Edward, Duke of Kent
Princess Augusta Sophia
Elizabeth, Landgravine of Hesse-Homburg
Ernest Augustus I of Hanover
Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex
Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge
Mary, Duchess of Gloucester
Princess Sophia
Prince Octavius
Prince Alfred
Princess Amelia
Grandchildren
Charlotte, Princess Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Princess Charlotte of Clarence
Princess Elizabeth of Clarence
Victoria
George V, King of Hanover
George, Duke of Cambridge
Augusta, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck

[edit] Titles and styles

• 27 January 1773–27 November 1801: His Royal Highness The Prince Augustus Frederick
• 27 November 1801–21 April 1843: His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex

[edit] Honours

• Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge of England, 1813
• Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England, 1813-1843
• Knight of the Order of the Thistle

[edit] Arms

As a son of the sovereign, the Duke of Sussex had use of the arms of the kingdom, differenced by a label argent of three points, the centre point bearing a two hearts gules, the outer points each bearing a cross gules.^[3]

[edit] Issue

[edit] Notes

1. ^ Yvonne's Royalty Home Page: Royal Christenings
2. ^ Liza Picard (2006). Victorian London. Orion. pp. 362–364. ISBN 0-7538-2090-0. 
3. ^ Marks of Cadency in the British Royal Family