Prince Andrew, Duke of York Biography

Prince Andrew, Duke of York, is a prominent member of the British royal family. He is the son of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and Queen Elizabeth II, and was second in line to the throne at the time of his birth. Prince Andrew has had a distinguished military career, serving in the navy and participating in the ‘Falklands War’ in the 1980s. He is also a skilled aircraft pilot and has flown on numerous occasions. In addition to his military achievements, Prince Andrew is known for his philanthropic endeavors. He currently serves as the chairman of the ‘Outward Bound Trust’ and is a patron of various charity organizations. One of his notable contributions is towards ‘Fight for Sight,’ a research initiative focused on preventing blindness and eye diseases. Prince Andrew also enjoys golfing and skiing, dedicating both his time and resources to these activities.

Quick Facts

  • British Celebrities Born In February
  • Also Known As: Andrew Albert Christian Edward
  • Age: 63 Years, 63 Year Old Males
  • Family:
    • Spouse/Ex-: Duchess of York (m. 1986–1996), Sarah
    • Father: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
    • Mother: Queen Elizabeth
    • Siblings: Anne, Charles, Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward, Prince of Wales, Princess Royal
    • Children: Princess Beatrice of York, Princess Eugenie of York
  • Born Country: England
  • Royal Family Members
  • British Men
  • Height: 1.83 m
  • City: London, England
  • Notable Alumni: Lakefield College School, Britannia Royal Naval College
  • Education: Britannia Royal Naval College, Lakefield College School

Childhood & Early Life

Prince Andrew was born Andrew Albert Christian Edward on February 19, 1960, in the ‘Belgian Suite’ of the famous ‘Buckingham Palace,’ London, United Kingdom. He was baptized by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher on April 8, 1960, in the palace’s ‘Music Room.’

Andrew’s education began at the palace, where he was taught by a governess. He was later enrolled at ‘Heatherdown School’ in Berkshire and then attended the prestigious ‘Gordonstoun School’ in Scotland, where his father and older brother had studied before. After spending two years at ‘Gordonstoun School,’ he enrolled himself at ‘Britannia Royal Naval College’ in Dartmouth.

Serving the Royal Navy

In November 1978, it was announced that Prince Andrew will join the ‘Royal Navy,’ for which he took various tests at several places. In 1979, he got himself enrolled at ‘Royal Naval College Flight,’ where he underwent pilot training and was eventually accepted as a trainee pilot. On September 1, 1979, he was appointed as a midshipman.

He then underwent various levels of training, beginning with elementary flying training at Royal Air Force Leeming. He then learned to operate a Gazelle helicopter as part of his basic flying training at HMS Seahawk. He also learned to fly the ‘Sea King’ helicopter and underwent operational flying training for a couple of years.

On April 2, 1982, The Falkland Islands, situated in the South Atlantic Ocean, were invaded by Argentina which led to the ‘Falklands War.’ Though Prince Andrew was initially deployed for a desk job, he was later allowed to remain in one of the operational aircraft carriers as per the Queen’s insistence.

During the war, Prince Andrew remained on board an aircraft carrier named ‘Invincible’ in order to serve as a co-pilot on one of the helicopters. At the end of the ‘Falklands War,’ Prince Andrew’s aircraft carrier returned to Portsmouth, where the vessel was welcomed by Prince Philip and the Queen, along with other family members of the crew.

Other Major Works

In 1999, Prince Andrew succeeded his father as the chairman of ‘Outward Bound Trust,’ a non-profit organization, and has since been working towards the betterment of the organization. From 2001 to 2011, he worked closely with ‘UK Trade & Investment,’ a government department that was in operation until July 2016.

Prince Andrew is a patron of one of the UK’s premier organizations, the ‘Middle East Association,’ which promotes good ties and trade with North Africa, Iran, Turkey, and the Middle East. He is also a patron of a charity organization called ‘Fight for Sight,’ which is funded research aimed at preventing blindness and eye diseases.

In 2012, Prince Andrew visited India, where he was fascinated by the work of the ‘Women’s Interlink Foundation,’ a charity organization aimed at helping women acquire the right skills to earn money with minimum investment. He later initiated a project called ‘Key to Freedom,’ which tries to find ways to market the products manufactured at ‘Women’s Interlink Foundation.’

Controversies

The Duke and the palace came under heavy scrutiny in 2011 as the Duke was seen spending time with his ‘friend’ Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein was convicted in the United States for soliciting a minor girl for prostitution. When the Duke was seen walking with him post his release, there was a widespread outcry, criticizing the Duke and the palace. In July 2011, it was reported that the Duke had cut ties with Epstein.

In January 2015, a woman named Virginia Roberts claimed that the Duke had a sexual affair with her when she was a teenager. The woman had claimed that she had met the Duke in 2001 during her trip to London and then again in New York. She even said that she was forced to have an affair with the Duke. However, the allegations have not been proven so far.

The Duke of York was also criticized for his repeated meetings with the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. It was said that the Duke is a good friend of Ilham Aliyev, who has been criticized in the past for abuses of human rights and for corruption.

Personal Life

Prince Andrew was in a relationship with American photographer and actress Koo Stark. In 1982, they were spotted holidaying together on a private island called Mustique. However, they were under constant pressure from the press and the palace, which led to their separation in 1983. In 1997, Prince Andrew was made the godfather of Koo Stark’s daughter.

On July 23, 1986, Prince Andrew got married to Sarah, Duchess of York at the famous ‘Westminster Abbey.’ The couple was blessed with two daughters and led a happy life together. However, their marriage ran into trouble in the early 90s, which led to their amicable separation in 1992. On May 30, 1996, their separation was made legal through a divorce.

The Duke of York is an expert golfer and was the captain of one of the most famous golf clubs from 2003 to 2004. He is also a patron of many royal golf clubs. He is also an adventurer as he loves skiing. He even bought a skiing chalet in Switzerland, along with Sarah. Also, he often goes goose hunting along with Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Over the years, he has developed strong ties with Kazakhstan and is a good friend of Nazarbayev.

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