Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Augusta Sophia
AUGUSTA SOPHIA (1768–1840), princess, daughter of George III and his sixth child, was born at Buckingham House, London, 8 Nov. 1768. The public reception on her birth took place on Sunday, 13 Nov., when two young girls, discovered carrying away the cups in which their caudle had been served, and secreting cake, were reprimanded on their knees (George III, his Court and Family, vol. i. p. 317). Princess Augusta is several times mentioned in Mme. d'Arblay's diary; she was sprightly enough in her manner to endure considerable banter from 'Mr. Turbulent' 1 March 1787, and to be called 'la Coquette corrigée' by him, on her supposed attachment to the Prince Royal of Denmark, then visiting at the castle (ibid. pp. 281 et seq.). She was partner to her brother, the Duke of York, in the historical country dance on the evening of the day, 1 June, 1789, when the duke had fought the duel with Colonel Lennox, and the Prince of Wales had resented the colonel's presence amongst his sisters by breaking up the ball (Annual Register, 1827, p. 438). She accompanied the king and queen later in the month to Weymouth, joining in the chorus of 'God save the King' at Lyndhurst (Diary of Royal Tour, 1789). In 1810 she was in attendance on her father, helping him to take exercise at Windsor, In 1816, 2 May, she was at Carlton House at the marriage of her niece, the Princess Charlotte. In May 1818 she gave 50l. to the National Society for the Education of the Poor. On 15 July 1819, she played and sang some of her own musical compositions to Mme. d'Arblay (Diary, vol. vii. p. 270). In 1820 she was again at Windsor attending to her father, whose death in that year was the occasion of her being supplied with residences of her own at Frogmore, and at Clarence House, St. James's. In this position of head of an establishment the princess showed the same pleasantness and patience she had shown in her parents' homes; and died at Clarence House 22 Sept. 1840 in her 72nd year (Annual Register, 1840, p. 176). She was buried at Windsor 2 Oct.
[Gent. Mag. lxxxvi. i. 462; lxxxvii. i. 559; IT. 270, 333, 334; lxxxviii. i. 462.]