The Duke of Atholl | |
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Preceded by | John Murray, 11th Duke of Atholl |
Personal details | |
Born | Bruce George Ronald Murray 6 April 1960 Louis Trichardt, South Africa |
Parents |
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Residence(s) | Louis Trichardt, South Africa |
Bruce George Ronald Murray, 12th Duke of Atholl OStJ (born 5/6 April 1960), is a South African-born businessman and peer who is the chief of Clan Murray. [1] As Duke of Atholl, he has the right to raise Europe's only legal private army, the Atholl Highlanders, a unique privilege granted to his family by Queen Victoria after visiting Blair Atholl in 1844. [2]
The elder son of John Murray, 11th Duke of Atholl, and Margaret Yvonne ( née Leach), now styled the Dowager Duchess of Atholl, [3] [4] graduated from Jeppe High School for Boys, Johannesburg, in 1979. He was educated at Saasveld Forestry College before serving his two years' National Service with the South African Infantry Corps. [1] He is currently a volunteer member of the Transvaal Scottish Regiment, holding the rank of lieutenant. [4] Previously, he managed a tea plantation, but then ran a signage business producing signs for commercial buildings. [5] [6] He was commissioned into the Atholl Highlanders in 2000, [1] [7] being appointed as lieutenant colonel. [8] Upon the death of his father on 15 May 2012, he succeeded to all his father's titles, becoming the 12th Duke of Atholl. [2] [9]
The Duke first married on 4 February 1984, in Johannesburg, to Lynne Elizabeth Andrew (born Johannesburg, 7 June 1963), daughter of Nicholas George Andrew of Bedfordview, South Africa (born Brighton, East Sussex, June 1939), and wife Evelyn Donne de Villiers, [3] and they divorced in 2003. Together they had two sons and one daughter: [3] [4] [10] [11] [12] [13]
He married secondly Charmaine Myrna du Toit in 2009, without issue.
Duke of Atholl, named after Atholl in Scotland, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland held by the head of Clan Murray. It was created by Queen Anne in 1703 for John Murray, 2nd Marquess of Atholl, with a special remainder to the heir male of his father, the 1st Marquess.
Earl of Sutherland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created circa 1230 for William de Moravia and is the premier earldom in the Peerage of Scotland. The earl or countess of Sutherland is also the chief of Clan Sutherland.
The title Baron Percy has been created several times in the Peerage of England. The first, soon after 1066, a feudal barony rather than a barony by writ, which continued in parallel with the later baronies by writ, until the abolition of feudal tenure by the Tenures Abolition Act 1660. The second, created by writ in 1299, became extinct in 1517. The third, created by writ in 1557, became extinct in 1670. The present creation was in 1722, by writ of summons.
Earl of Dunmore is a title in the Peerage of Scotland.
Lord Lovat is a title of the rank Lord of Parliament in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1458 for Hugh Fraser by summoning him to the Scottish Parliament as Lord Fraser of Lovat, although the holder is referred to simply as Lord Lovat. It was a separate title from the Scottish feudal lordship of Lovat, already held by the highland Frasers. In 1837 they were created a third title, Baron Lovat, of Lovat in the County of Inverness, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The holder is separately and independently the Chief of the highland Clan Fraser of Lovat.
John Murray, 11th Duke of Atholl, was a South African-born hereditary peer of the Peerage of Scotland, hereditary Clan Chief of Clan Murray, and Colonel-in-Chief of the Atholl Highlanders. As Duke of Atholl, he commanded the only legal private army in Europe. He acceded as the 11th duke on 27 February 1996, succeeding his second cousin, once removed, The 10th Duke of Atholl.
The Atholl Highlanders is a Scottish private infantry regiment. A ceremonial unit, it acts as the personal bodyguard to the Duke of Atholl, chieftain of the Clan Murray, a family that has lived in Perthshire for roughly seven centuries. Although it has no official military role, this hand-picked body of local men are armed with Lee–Metford rifles, and the regiment includes a pipe band. Joining the Highlanders is by invitation-only from the Duke, who specially selects men with ties to the estate or the local area. The regiment is not part of the British Armed Forces but under the command of the Duke of Atholl, and based at Blair Castle, Blair Atholl.
Blair Castle stands in its grounds near the village of Blair Atholl in Perthshire in Scotland. It is the ancestral home of the Clan Murray, and was historically the seat of their chief, the Duke of Atholl, though the current chief, the 12th Duke of Atholl, lives in South Africa, where he was born and raised. The castle stands in Glen Garry, and commands a strategic position on the main route through the central Scottish Highlands.
The Solomon Mahlangu Regiment is a reserve infantry regiment of the South African Army.
George Iain Murray, 10th Duke of Atholl, DL, known as Wee Iain, was a Scottish peer and landowner.
Clan Agnew is a Scottish clan from Galloway in the Scottish Lowlands.
Clan Hay is a Scottish clan of the Grampian region of Scotland that has played an important part in the history and politics of the country. Members of the clan are to be found in most parts of Scotland and in many other parts of the world. However, the North East of Scotland, i.e. Aberdeenshire (historic), Banffshire, Morayshire and Nairnshire Nairn (boundaries), is the heart of Hay country with other significant concentrations of Hays being found in Perthshire, especially around Perth, in the Scottish Borders, and in Shetland. Clan Hay, since coming to America, has been instrumental in the shaping and founding of America, has made significant contributions throughout the nation's history. Members of this distinguished lineage have held numerous prominent roles, including Presidents, Governors, Legislators, and military leaders. Many locations across the United States bear the family's name in recognition of their impact.
George Augustus Frederick John Murray, 6th Duke of Atholl, was a Scottish peer, important landowner, and freemason.
Clan Murray is a Highland Scottish clan. The chief of the Clan Murray holds the title of Duke of Atholl. Their ancestors were the Morays of Bothwell who established the family in Scotland in the 12th century. In the 16th century, descendants of the Morays of Bothwell, the Murrays of Tullibardine, secured the chiefship of the clan and were created Earls of Tullibardine in 1606. The first Earl of Tullibardine married the heiress to the Stewart earldom of Atholl and Atholl therefore became a Murray earldom in 1626. The Murray Earl of Atholl was created Marquess of Atholl in 1676 and in 1703 it became a dukedom. The marquess of Tullibardine title has continued as a subsidiary title, being bestowed on elder sons of the chief until they succeed him as Duke of Atholl.
Clan Stewart is a Scottish Highland and Lowland clan. The clan is recognised by Court of the Lord Lyon; however, it does not have a clan chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. Because the clan has no chief it can be considered an armigerous clan; however, the Earls of Galloway are now considered to be the principal branch of this clan, and the crest and motto of The Earls of Galloway's arms are used in the Clan Stewart crest badge. The Court of the Lord Lyon recognises two other Stewart/Stuart clans, Clan Stuart of Bute and Clan Stewart of Appin. Stuart of Bute is the only one of the three clans at present which has a recognised chief.
Charles Murray, 1st Earl of Dunmore PC was a British peer, previously Lord Charles Murray.
Brigadier General James Bruce Jardine was a British soldier and diplomat. He earned the rank of Brigadier-General in the service of the 5th Lancers.
William Murray, 2nd Lord Nairne was a Scottish peer and Jacobite who fought in the Rising of 1715, after which he was attainted and condemned to death for treason, but in 1717 he was indemnified and released.
Frances Julia Percy, Duchess of Northumberland was the second wife of Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland, and the mother of the 3rd and 4th Dukes.