Duke of Sussex

Duke of Sussex was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was conferred on 27 November 1801 upon Prince Augustus Frederick, the sixth son of King George III. He was made Baron Arklow and Earl of Inverness, at the same time, also in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.

Prince Augustus Frederick married Lady Augusta Murray at St George's, Hanover Square, Westminster, in 1793 and then, Lady Cecilia Gore at Great Cumberland Place, London, on 2 May 1831. Both marriages were in contravention of the Royal Marriages Act 1772. The first marriage was annulled and the Prince's two children became illegitimate. The second marriage was not annulled but, as a morganatic wife, Lady Cecilia could not be received at court. She was eventually (on 30 March 1840) given the title of Duchess of Inverness in her own right by Queen Victoria.

Since Augustus Frederick had no legitimate issue, his titles became extinct on his death in 1843.

In 1999, during the time leading up to the wedding of Prince Edward, the youngest son of Elizabeth II, experts had suggested the Dukedom of Sussex or Cambridge as the most likely title to be granted to him. Instead, Prince Edward was created Earl of Wessex, and it was announced that he would eventually be created Duke of Edinburgh, a title currently held by his father. There was again speculation that Prince William of Wales might be given the Sussex title on his wedding to Catherine Middleton in April 2011, but he was instead created Duke of Cambridge. In the same year, it was reported that Prince Harry had been promised the title.