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Prince Andrew, Duke of York is the son of Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He is the father of Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie as well as the younger brother of Charles III, King of the United Kingdom.

Andrew served in the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot and instructor and as the captain of a warship. During the Falklands War, he flew on multiple missions including anti-surface warfare, casualty evacuation, and Exocet missile decoy. In 1986, he married Sarah Ferguson and was made Duke of York.

They have two daughters: Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Their marriage, separation in 1992, and divorce in 1996 attracted extensive media coverage. As Duke of York, Andrew undertook official duties and engagements on behalf of the Queen. He served as the UK's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment for 10 years until July 2011.

In 2014, the American-Australian campaigner Virginia Giuffre alleged that, as a 17-year-old, she was sex-trafficked to Andrew by the American financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew denied any wrongdoing. Following criticism for his association with Epstein, Andew resigned from public roles in May 2020, and his honorary military affiliations and royal charitable patronages were removed by Elizabeth II in January 2022. He was the defendant in a civil lawsuit over sexual assault filed by Giuffre in the State of New York. The lawsuit was settled out of court in February 2022.

Early Life

Andrew was born in the Belgian Suite of Buckingham Palace on 19 February 1960 at 3:30 p.m. the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He was baptized in the palace’s Music Room on 8 April 1960.

Andrew was the first child born to a reigning British monarch since Princess Beatrice in 1857. As with his siblings, Charles, Anne, and Edward, Andrew was looked after by a governess, who was responsible for his early education at Buckingham Palace. He was sent to Heatherdown School near Ascot in Berkshire. In September 1973, he entered Gordonstoun, in northern Scotland, which his father and elder brother had also attended.

He was nicknamed “the Sniggerer” by his schoolmates at Gordonstoun, because of “his penchant for off-color jokes, at which he laughed inordinately.” While there, he spent six months-from January to June 1977-participating in an exchange program to Lakefield College School in Canada. He left Gordonstoun in July two years later with A-levels in English, history, and economics.

Military Service-Navy

The Royal Household announced in November 1978 that Andrew would join the Royal Navy the following year. In December, he underwent various sporting tests and examinations at the Aircrew Selection Centre, at RAF Biggin Hill, along with further tests and interviews at HMS Daedalus, and interviews at the Admiralty Interview Board, HMS Sultan. During March and April 1979, he was enrolled at the Royal Naval College Flight, undergoing pilot training, until he was accepted as a trainee helicopter pilot and signed on for 12 years from 11 May 1979. On 1 September of the same year, Andrew was appointed as a midshipman, and entered Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. During 1979 he also completed the Royal Marines All Arms Commando Course for which he received his Green Beret. He was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant on 1 September 1981 and appointed to the Trained Strength on 22 October.

Titles and Styles

19 February 1960-23 July 1986 His Royal Highness The Prince Andrew

23 July 1986 His Royal Highness The Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, Baron Killyleagh

Honors

-Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter

-Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order

-Recipient of the South Atlantic Medal, Special Class

-6 February 1977: Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal

-6 February 2002: Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal

-6 February 2012: Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal

-6 February 2023: Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal

-6 May 2023: Recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal

-Recipient of the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal

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