Bruce George Ronald Murray, 12th Duke of Atholl (born 5/6 April 1960), is a South African-born hereditary peer in the Peerage of Scotland and Chief of Clan Murray. 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.
Early life and career
The elder son of John Murray, 11th Duke of Atholl, and Margaret Yvonne ( Leach), now styled the Dowager Duchess of Atholl, 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. He is currently a volunteer member of the Transvaal Scottish Regiment, holding the rank of lieutenant. Previously, he managed a tea plantation, but then ran a signage business producing signs for commercial buildings. He was commissioned into the Atholl Highlanders in 2000, being appointed as lieutenant colonel. Upon the death of his father on 15 May 2012, he succeeded to all his father's titles, becoming the 12th Duke of Atholl.
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, and they divorced in 2003. Together they had three children, two sons and one daughter: Michael Bruce John Murray, Marquess of Tullibardine (born in Louis Trichardt, 5 March 1985) Lord David Nicholas George Murray (born in Louis Trichardt, 31 January 1986) Lady Nicole Murray (born in Duiwelskloof, 11 July 1987); married to Peter Piek
He married secondly Charmaine Myrna du Toit in 2009, without issue.
References
"Burke's Peerage and Baronetage" http://www.van-gool.info/Leach.htm http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/d/u/p/Amanda-M-Du-plessis/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0011.html http://www.southafricansettlers.com/