Lady Augusta Murray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lady Augusta De Ameland
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| Born | 27 January 1761 Scotland
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| Died | 4 March 1830 (aged 69) |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | Sir Augustus d'Este Augusta Emma Wilde, Baroness Truro |
| Parent(s) | John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore Lady Charlotte Stewart |
Lady Augusta De Ameland (born Murray; 27 January 1761 – 4 March 1830) was an important lady from Scotland. She was the first wife of Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex. He was the sixth son of King George III. They got married on April 4, 1793, in Rome. However, their marriage was not allowed by a special law called the Royal Marriages Act 1772. This was because the Prince did not ask his father, the King, for permission. So, the marriage was not officially recognized.
Lady Augusta's Early Life in Scotland
Lady Augusta was born in Scotland. Her father was John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore. He was a Scottish nobleman. Her mother was Lady Charlotte Stewart. Lady Charlotte was the daughter of another important person, Alexander Stewart, 6th Earl of Galloway.
Her Marriage to Prince Augustus
Lady Augusta secretly married Prince Augustus Frederick. He was the sixth son of King George III. Their first wedding was on April 4, 1793, in Rome. It was a Church of England ceremony. They got married again on December 5, 1793, in London. This second wedding was at St George's, Hanover Square. They used their real names but did not tell everyone who they truly were.
Both of these weddings did not follow the rules of the Royal Marriages Act 1772. This law meant that royal family members needed the King's permission to marry. Because they did not have this permission, their marriage was officially cancelled in July 1794. This is called an annulment. So, when Prince Augustus became the Duke of Sussex in 1801, Lady Augusta could not use the title Duchess of Sussex.
Lady Augusta and Prince Augustus had two children:
- Augustus Frederick d'Este (born January 13, 1794 – died December 28, 1848)
- Augusta Emma d'Este, who later became Lady Truro (born August 9, 1801 – died May 21, 1866). She married Thomas Wilde, 1st Baron Truro on August 13, 1845.
Lady Augusta's Later Years
Prince Augustus tried for many years to have his marriage to Lady Augusta officially recognized. But in the end, they separated. On November 27, 1801, the King gave Prince Augustus new titles. He became the Duke of Sussex, Earl of Inverness, and Baron Arklow.
In 1806, Lady Augusta was given special permission by the King. She was allowed to use the last name De Ameland instead of Murray. She also received money each year, which was called a pension. It was £4,000 a year. She used this money to buy a house in Ramsgate. There, she created a small estate.
Lady Augusta passed away on March 4, 1830. She is buried in a special family tomb. This tomb is called the D'Este mausoleum. It is in the churchyard at St Lawrence in Thanet. After Lady Augusta's death, the Duke of Sussex married Lady Cecilia Underwood.
