Cecilia Underwood, Duchess of Inverness
Encyclopedia
Cecilia Underwood, 1st Duchess of Inverness (née Lady Cecilia Letitia Gore; c. 1785 – 1 August 1873) was the second wife of Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex
, sixth son of King George III
. As their marriage was in contravention of the Royal Marriages Act 1772
, it was considered legally void, and she could not be styled either as the Duchess of Sussex or a Princess. She was created Duchess of Inverness
, in her own right, by Queen Victoria
, on 10 April 1840.
; her mother, Elizabeth née Underwood. She was styled Lady Cecilia Gore at birth, the courtesy title of a daughter of an earl
.
She later married Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex
, the sixth son of George III, at Great Cumberland Place, London, on 2 May 1831. The Duke of Sussex had already married Lady Augusta Murray
in 1793, but that marriage was annulled in 1794 as it contravened the Royal Marriages Act 1772 which required that all members of the British Royal Family seek permission of the sovereign before marriage. However the Duke of Sussex's second marriage also contravened the Act, making it legally void.
However, Lady Cecilia was not accepted as a full member of the British Royal Family. Strict royal protocol restricted Lady Cecilia at any functions attended by other members of the Royal Family, as she was unable to take a seat beside her husband due to her lower rank. To compensate for this, in 1840 Queen Victoria created her Duchess of Inverness
, in her own right, with remainder to heirs male lawfully begotten. This recognised her husband's subsidiary title of Earl of Inverness
.
The Duke of Sussex died at Kensington Palace and was buried at Kensal Green Cemetery
. The Duchess of Inverness continued to reside at Kensington Palace
until her death in August 1873. She was buried next to her second husband.
Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex
The Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex , 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.- Early life :His Royal Highness The Prince Augustus...
, sixth son of King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
. As their marriage was in contravention of the Royal Marriages Act 1772
Royal Marriages Act 1772
The Royal Marriages Act 1772 is an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain which prescribes the conditions under which members of the British Royal Family may contract a valid marriage, in order to guard against marriages that could diminish the status of the Royal House...
, it was considered legally void, and she could not be styled either as the Duchess of Sussex or a Princess. She was created Duchess of Inverness
Duke of Inverness
The Dukedom of Inverness was a title in the Jacobite Peerage of Great Britain, and as such was not recognised by the government or monarch or Great Britain...
, in her own right, by Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
, on 10 April 1840.
Early life
Cecilia's exact date of birth is not known, although it is around 1785. Her father was Arthur Gore, 2nd Earl of ArranArthur Gore, 2nd Earl of Arran
Arthur Saunders Gore, 2nd Earl of Arran KP, PC styled The Honourable from 1758 to 1762, and then known as Viscount Sudley from 1762 to 1773, was an Irish peer and politician....
; her mother, Elizabeth née Underwood. She was styled Lady Cecilia Gore at birth, the courtesy title of a daughter of an earl
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
.
Marriages
Lady Cecilia's first marriage was to Sir George Buggin, in May 1815. The marriage produced no children and Sir George died on 12 April 1825.She later married Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex
Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex
The Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex , 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.- Early life :His Royal Highness The Prince Augustus...
, the sixth son of George III, at Great Cumberland Place, London, on 2 May 1831. The Duke of Sussex had already married Lady Augusta Murray
Lady Augusta Murray
The Lady Augusta Murray was the first wife of Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, the sixth son of George III. As their marriage was in contravention of the Royal Marriages Act 1772, it was considered legally void, and she could not be styled as the Duchess of Sussex.-Early life:Lady...
in 1793, but that marriage was annulled in 1794 as it contravened the Royal Marriages Act 1772 which required that all members of the British Royal Family seek permission of the sovereign before marriage. However the Duke of Sussex's second marriage also contravened the Act, making it legally void.
Duchess of Inverness
As the marriage was not considered legal in the UK, Lady Cecilia could not take the style Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex. Instead she assumed the name "Underwood", her mother's maiden name, by Royal Licence and was known as Lady Cecilia Underwood. The couple resided at the Duke's apartments in Kensington Palace.However, Lady Cecilia was not accepted as a full member of the British Royal Family. Strict royal protocol restricted Lady Cecilia at any functions attended by other members of the Royal Family, as she was unable to take a seat beside her husband due to her lower rank. To compensate for this, in 1840 Queen Victoria created her Duchess of Inverness
Duke of Inverness
The Dukedom of Inverness was a title in the Jacobite Peerage of Great Britain, and as such was not recognised by the government or monarch or Great Britain...
, in her own right, with remainder to heirs male lawfully begotten. This recognised her husband's subsidiary title of Earl of Inverness
Earl of Inverness
The title of Earl of Inverness was first created in 1718 in the Jacobite Peerage of Scotland by James Francis Edward Stuart for the Honourable John Hay of Cromlix, third son of the 7th Earl of Kinnoull, but became extinct upon the death of the grantee in 1740.It has been created several times in ...
.
The Duke of Sussex died at Kensington Palace and was buried at Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in Kensal Green, in the west of London, England. It was immortalised in the lines of G. K. Chesterton's poem The Rolling English Road from his book The Flying Inn: "For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen; Before we go to Paradise by way of...
. The Duchess of Inverness continued to reside at Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century and is the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke and...
until her death in August 1873. She was buried next to her second husband.
Titles
- c. 1785–May 1815: Lady Cecilia Gore
- May 1815–c. 1831: Lady Cecilia Buggin
- c. 1831–10 April 1840: Lady Cecilia Underwood
- 10 April 1840–1 August 1873: Her Grace The Duchess of Inverness