Royal Profile: The Prince Andrew, The Duke of York

The Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward, The Duke of York was born 19 February 1960 as the second son and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh{Source}. He has two older siblings and a younger brother{Source}:

  1. The Prince Charles of Wales
  2. The Princess Anne, The Princess Royal
  3. The Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex

He was the first child born to a reigning monarch in 103 years, the last being Princess Beatrice in
1857{Source}.

His earliest years were spent residing between Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, where he began his education with a governess{Source}. When he was eight years old, he began attending Heatherdown Preparatory School, Ascot{Source}. When he was thriteen years of age, he followed in his father and brother's footseps by attending Gordonstoun School in Scotland{Source}. He spent a year as an exchange student at the Lakefield College School in Ontario Canada in the 1977-1978 school year as part of the  Round Square Exchange Programme{Source}. He spent his A-Levels year back at Gordonstoun{Source}.

As a youngster, he had a keen interest in a naval career, thanks to his father The Duke of Edinburgh.As a youngster, he watched his father fly helicopters, which peeked his interest in flying {Source}. When he attended Gordonstoun, he was a member of the Air Training Corps and learned to fly gliders{Source}. He undertook a Parachute Training Course with the RAF in April 1978, where he achieved his Parachute wings  {Source}. Prior to joining the Royal Navy, he conducted Naval Flying Grading Training {Source}. He flew solo for the first time in a Chipmonk aircraft in April 1979 {Source}. The Prince Andrew joined the Royal Navy in 1979 on a short service commission as a Seaman Officer specializing as a Pilot {Source}. Midshipman Prince Andrew entered Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth and undertook the full range of initial professional training{Source}. Additionally, he completed the Royal Marine Commando course with the Young Officer's batch of 1979 at the Commando Training Centre, for which he received his Green Beret{Source}.Midshipman Prince Andrew passed out of BRNC Dartmouth in front of The Queen at Lord High Admiral's Divisions in April 1980{Source}.He then undertook initial fixed wing flying training within the Royal Navy Elementary Flying Training Squadron based at Royal Air Force at RAF Leeming in Yorkshire, flying Bulldog aircraft from RAF Topclife{Source}.Sub Lieutenant Prince Andrew’s helicopter flying training was conducted at Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Culdrose, Cornwall, where he initially learnt to fly the Gazelle helicopter in 705 Naval Air Squadron (NAS){Source}. In April 1981, HRH was presented with his ‘Wings’ and the award for the best pilot by The Duke of Edinburgh{Source}. Sub Lieutenant Prince Andrew then converted onto the Sea King helicopter, completing advanced and operational flying training with 706 NAS, before joining his first front-line unit: 820 NAS embarked in HMS INVINCIBLE{Source}.On 5th April 1982, HMS INVINCIBLE sailed as part of the Task Group to the South Atlantic to regain the Falkland Islands. Sub Lieutenant Prince Andrew embarked along with his squadron, 820 NAS{Source}. Throughout the conflict Prince Andrew, alongside his fellow aviators, flew missions including: Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Anti-Surface Warfare (ASUW), inter-ship Helicopter Delivery (HDS), Search and Rescue (SAR) and casualty evacuation{Source}. When his ship returned to the Portsmith Naval Base in September 1982, they were greeted by his parents{Source}. Sub Lieutenant Prince Andrew completed his first front line tour with 820 NAS in July 1983, and was appointed to 702 NAS at RNAS Portland, Dorset, to convert to the Lynx helicopter{Source}. In May 1984, Lieutenant Prince Andrew joined 815 NAS, where he served as the Flight Pilot in the Type 22 Frigate HMS BRAZEN until March 1986{Source}. Prince Andrew was appointed a personal Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty The Queen in 1984{Source}. In 1987, after completing the Lieutenant's Greenwich Course and Helicopter Warfare Instructors (HWI) Course, Lieutenant The Duke of York returned to 702 NAS as staff Helicopter Warfare Instructor{Source}. In May 1988, HRH joined the Type 42 Destroyer HMS EDINBURGH as an Officer of the Watch, in order to earn his Watchkeeping and Ocean Navigation Certificates{Source}. During the year's seagoing appointment, which included a Far East and Australia deployment, Lieutenant The Duke of York was awarded his Certificates{Source}. In September 1989, HRH once again returned to RNAS Portland to form HMS CAMPBELTOWN Flight, joining 829 NAS where he served as Flight Commander HMS CAMPBELTOWN until the Autumn of 1991{Source}. Lieutentant Commander The Duke of York was appointed to the Army Command and Staff Course at Camberley{Source}.  Following the Staff Course Lt Cdr The Duke of York was selected to command the Hunt Class Mine Counter Measures Vessel HMS COTTESMORE{Source}.  Whilst in Command HMS COTTESMORE conducted the full range of duties performed by the MCMV force and as a part of the RN high readiness MCMV force deployed around Europe and into the Mediterranean. HRH completed his time in command in November 1994{Source}.
Lieutenant Commander The Duke of York then returned to flying duties with a refresher course at 702 NAS before taking up the appointment as Senior  Pilot of 815 NAS at RNAS Portland, where he served until October 1996{Source}. He was then appointed to the Ministry of Defense in January 1997 as a Staff Officer in the Directorate of Naval Operations, with specific responsibility for Frigate and Destroyer aviation{Source}. Promoted Commander in 1999, Commander The Duke of York took up an appointment within the Naval Staff, with responsibility for Naval Diplomacy with the Rest of the World{Source}. He concluded this appointment in April 2001 before departing from active service with the Royal Navy at the end of July 2001{Source}. In July 2005, The Duke was promoted Captain and was appointed Commodore in Chief of the Fleet Air Arm in 2006{Source}. In February 2010, HRH was promoted to Rear Admiral in the Royal Navy{Source}.


As a child, The Duke watched his father, The Duke of Edinburgh, flying helicopters, which stimulated his interest in flying. At Gordonstoun, HRH joined the Air Training Corps and learnt to fly gliders.  The Duke undertook Parachute Training with the RAF achieving his Parachute wings in April 1978.  Prior to joining the Royal Navy he conducted Naval Flying Grading Training. HRH flew solo in a Chipmonk aircraft for the first time on Friday 13th April 1979.



As a child, The Duke watched his father, The Duke of Edinburgh, flying helicopters, which stimulated his interest in flying. At Gordonstoun, HRH joined the Air Training Corps and learnt to fly gliders.  The Duke undertook Parachute Training with the RAF achieving his Parachute wings in April 1978.  Prior to joining the Royal Navy he conducted Naval Flying Grading Training. HRH flew solo in a Chipmonk aircraft for the first time on Friday 13th April 1979.

As a child, The Duke watched his father, The Duke of Edinburgh, flying helicopters, which stimulated his interest in flying. At Gordonstoun, HRH joined the Air Training Corps and learnt to fly gliders.  The Duke undertook Parachute Training with the RAF achieving his Parachute wings in April 1978.  Prior to joining the Royal Navy he conducted Naval Flying Grading Training. HRH flew solo in a Chipmonk aircraft for the first time on Friday 13th April 1979.


As a child, The Duke watched his father, The Duke of Edinburgh, flying helicopters, which stimulated his interest in flying. At Gordonstoun, HRH joined the Air Training Corps and learnt to fly gliders.  The Duke undertook Parachute Training with the RAF achieving his Parachute wings in April 1978.  Prior to joining the Royal Navy he conducted Naval Flying Grading Training. HRH flew solo in a Chipmonk aircraft for the first time on Friday 13th April 1979.


As a child, The Duke watched his father, The Duke of Edinburgh, flying helicopters, which stimulated his interest in flying. At Gordonstoun, HRH joined the Air Training Corps and learnt to fly gliders.  The Duke undertook Parachute Training with the RAF achieving his Parachute wings in April 1978.  Prior to joining the Royal Navy he conducted Naval Flying Grading Training. HRH flew solo in a Chipmonk aircraft for the first time on Friday 13th April 1979.
He has been an avid sportsmen for his entire life{Source} . As a youngster, he played rugby and cricket at Hetherdown, rugby, field hockey and was captain of the 1st XI cricket team in his final year{Source}. He attended the Britannia Royal Naval College, where he was part of various squash teams and was on the hockey team{Source}. During his time as Flight Commander on the HMS CAMPBELTOWN, he developed an interest in golf{Source}.

In 2001, after a distinguished career in the Royal Navy, The Duke of York left active service to support The Queen as a full time working member of the Royal Family {Source}.

Today, The Duke’s focus is on assisting the economic success of, and the creation of skilled jobs in, the United Kingdom{Source}. He concentrates his efforts on three core areas where he believes he can have the greatest impact{Source}:
  • Education and Skills
  • Science and Engineering
  • Entrepreneurs and SMEs
The Duke also supports many charitable and not-for-profit organisations and maintains close links with the Military{Source}.

Since the age of 17, he has received many honors and awards, among them are {Source}: 
  • Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977)
  • Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (1979)
  • South Atlantic Campaign Medal for service in the Falklands (1982)
  • Personal Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty The Queen (1984)
  • Commodore, Royal Thames Yacht Club (1986)
  • Freedom of the City of York (1987)
  • Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav (1988)
  • New Zealand Commemoration Medal (1990)
  • Elder Brother, Trinity House (1991)
  • Canadian Forces Decoration (2001)
  • Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002)
  • Grand Master, The Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators (2002)
  • Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (2003)
  • Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan (2005)
  • Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter (2006)
  • Order of the Federation (UAE) (2010)
  • Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (2011)
  • Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012)
  • Freedom of the City of London (2012)
  • Royal Bencher, Lincoln's Inn (2012)
  • Liveryman, The Worshipful Company of Shipwrights (2012)
  • Royal Fellow, The Royal Society (2013)
The Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson were engaged to be married on 19th March 1986{Source}. The marriage took place on 23rd July 1986, at Westminister Abbey{Source}. Upon their wedding, the second son of Queen Elizabeth was created The Duke of York{Source}. The Duke and Duchess of York's first child, Princess Beatrice Elizabeth Mary of York was born 13 months after her parents marriage on 8th August 1988{Source}. On 23 March 1990, the young Princess Beatrice was joined by a little sister, Princess Eugenie Helena Victoria of York {Source}. When the girls were young, their parents seperated  and later divorced, but remained friends for their daughters' sakes{Source}.

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