His Grace
The Duke of Atholl
OStJ
Coat of arms of the Duke of Atholl
Preceded byJohn Murray, 11th Duke of Atholl
Personal details
Born
Bruce George Ronald Murray

(1960-04-06) 6 April 1960
Louis Trichardt, South Africa
Parents
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 hereditary peer in the Peerage of Scotland and 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]

Early life and career

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]

Marriages and children

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 three children, two sons and one daughter:[3][4][10][11][12][13]

He married secondly Charmaine Myrna du Toit in 2009, without issue.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Three Generations of the Atholl family to be on parade at Blair Castle – website VisitScotland Perthshire
  2. 1 2 "The Duke of Atholl". The Daily Telegraph. 17 May 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 Information on Murray, Bruce George Ronald Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine – website Royal Genealogy Page of the Department of Computer Science, University of Hull
  4. 1 2 3 Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, 2 volumes (Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 1999), volume 1, page 133.
  5. ↑ KAOXA'S SHELTER, THE DIGGING STICK, Volume 17, No 1 ISSN 1013-7521 April 2000, Acknowledgements Archived 15 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine – website of the South African Archaeological Society
  6. ↑ Local Marquess presents colours to Her Majesty – www.zoutnet.co.za
  7. ↑ Clan & Septs Archived 23 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine – website of the Clan Murray Society
  8. ↑ Highlander’s Visit (5/29 – 6/7) Archived 30 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine – website of the Atholl 250th Anniversary Committee
  9. ↑ John Murray, the 11th Duke of Atholl, dies in South Africa Archived 20 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine – website of The Courier
  10. ↑ Dukes of Atholl Archived 26 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine – website of Cracroft's Peerage
  11. ↑ Burke's Peerage and Baronetage
  12. ↑ "Amanda-M-Du-plessis – User Trees – Genealogy.com". Familytreemaker.genealogy.com. 12 February 1944. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  13. ↑ "South African Settlers". South African Settlers. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
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