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Background
Education Sportsmanship Naval career Marriage and family Patronages, activities and interests Service appointments Engagements Honours BackgroundThe Duke of York is the second son and the third child of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. He was born on 19 February 1960 at Buckingham Palace; the first child to be born to a reigning monarch for 103 years. Christened Andrew Albert Christian Edward in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace, he was known as Prince Andrew until his marriage, when he was created The Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh.EducationFrom the age of four Prince Andrew's initial education was conducted by a governess at Buckingham Palace. Aged eight Prince Andrew was sent to Heatherdown Preparatory School, Ascot; he was taught there until he was 13, when he moved on to Gordonstoun School in Morayshire, Scotland, where his father and elder brother were educated before him. After taking 'O' levels he spent two terms on the Round Square exchange programme at Lakefield College School in Ontario, Canada. After returning to Gordonstoun, he studied for his 'A' levels before joining the Royal Navy.SportsmanshipThe Duke of York has always enjoyed sport. From an early age he was taught to swim and play most ball sports. At his preparatory school he played cricket, rugby and soccer. At Gordonstoun he continued to play cricket and rugby as well as field hockey. He captained the school 1st XI cricket team in his last year. Prince Andrew plays squash, skis and now plays golf, having a current handicap of 7. Whilst at Gordonstoun he began his flying career by learning to fly a glider with the Air Training Corps and also, along with Prince Charles, earned his Parachutist's badge from the Royal Air Force.Naval careerThe Duke of York joined the Royal Navy in 1979 on a short service commission, as a Seaman Officer specialising as a pilot. He entered Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth where he took the full range of initial professional training and concurrently undertook the Royal Marine 'Green Beret' course with the Young Officer's batch of 1979 at the Commando Training Centre, Lympstone, being awarded his Green Beret the week before he passed out of Dartmouth in front of The Queen at the Lord High Admiral's Divisions. After passing out of Dartmouth, Prince Andrew went on to elementary flying training with the Royal Air Force at RAF Leeming, Yorkshire, where he learnt to fly the Bulldog. Subsequently he went through basic flying training with the Royal Navy at RNAS (Royal Naval Air Station) Culdrose, Cornwall where he learnt to fly the Gazelle helicopter. He received his Wings from The Duke of Edinburgh in April 1981, as well as winning the award for the best pilot. After converting onto the Sea King helicopter and conducting operational flying training, he joined his first front line unit 820 Naval Air Squadron then embarked in the Anti-Submarine Warfare Carrier (ASW) HMS INVINCIBLE. Only six months later Prince Andrew was to see active service. Along with his squadron, he sailed in HMS INVINCIBLE as part of the Task Force that sailed to the South Atlantic to regain the Falkland Islands. Throughout the conflict he flew on various missions including ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) and ASUW (Anti-Surface Warfare search). He also helped in casualty evacuation, transport and SAR (Search and Air Rescue).After completing his first front line tour in July 1983, Prince Andrew was appointed to 702 NAS at RNAS Portland in September to convert onto the Lynx helicopter. On promotion to Lieutenant in February 1984, The Queen appointed him a Personal Aide-de-Camp. In May he joined 815 NAS as the Flight Pilot in the Type 22 Frigate HMS BRAZEN where he served until March 1986. The Lieutenant's Greenwich Course and Helicopter Warfare Instructors (HWI) Course continued the Prince's professional training, and he returned to 702 NAS early in 1987 as an HWI. In May 1988, having been selected for transfer to the General List for officers, he joined the Type 42 Destroyer HMS EDINBURGH as an Officer of the Watch to earn his Watchkeeping and Ocean Navigation Certificate. After the year's seagoing appointment that included a Far East and Australia deployment he was awarded his Certificates, and returned once again to RNAS Portland to form HMS CAMPBELTOWN Flight. He joined 829 NAS in September 1989 and served as Flight Commander until the autumn of 1991. In 1992 The Duke of York was appointed to the Army Command and Staff Course at the Staff College, Camberley and, in February that year, was promoted to Lieutenant Commander. On completion of the Staff Course he was selected to command the Hunt Class Minehunter HMS COTTESMORE from April 1993 until November 1994. The Duke of York then returned to flying duties with a refresher course in 702 NAS before taking up the appointment as Senior Pilot 815 NAS at RNAS Portland, where he served until October 1996. The Duke of York joined the Ministry of Defence, London, in January 1997 as a staff officer in the Directorate of Naval Operations. At the end of this appointment The Duke intends to leave the Royal Navy, having served as helicopter pilot in a career that spans two decades. Marriage and familyPrince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson were engaged on 19 March 1986. Sarah Ferguson, born on 15 October 1959, is the second daughter of Major Ronald Ferguson and Susan, now Mrs Hector Barrantes. They were married in Westminster Abbey on 23 July 1986. At the time of their marriage Prince Andrew was created The Duke of York and Sarah became The Duchess of York.The Duke and Duchess's first child was born on 8 August 1988 at the Portland Hospital in London and was named Beatrice Elizabeth Mary of York. Their second child was also born at the Portland Hospital on 23 March 1990 and named Eugenie Victoria Helena. They are fifth and sixth in line of succession to the throne. In March 1992 it was announced that The Duke and Duchess were to separate; they were divorced in May 1996. The Duke and Duchess have continued to have joint custody of their children. Patronages, activities and interestsThe Duke of York is the Patron of over 90 organisations. He has recently taken on the patronage of the Royal Golf Clubs that were held by The Duke of Edinburgh. Other interests which have the patronage of The Duke are to do with his professional life thus far; such as Fight for Sight, The Hearing Research Trust, The Jubilee Sailing Trust and The Royal Aero Club.The Duke of York is a Trustee of The National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, as well as being the Patron of Greenwich Hospital, owners of the Greenwich College. He is a governor of Gordonstoun School and also sits on the Advisory board of Governors of Lakefield College School. He is Commodore of The Royal Thames Yacht Club and an Elder Brother of Trinity House. Service appointmentsThe Duke of York holds one naval service appointment: Admiral of the Sea Cadet Corps, which he took over from The Duke of Edinburgh in 1992. In 1989 he was made Colonel in Chief of The Staffordshire Regiment, one of Britain's line regiments. In 1992 The Duke became the Colonel in Chief of The Royal Irish Regiment, the result of the merger between two former Irish regiments, The Royal Irish Rangers and The Ulster Defence Regiment. (It is the largest infantry regiment in the Army, with a strength of over 6,000.) The Duke has most recently become the Colonel in Chief of The Royal New Zealand Logistic Regiment and the Air Commodore of RAF Lossiemouth, Morayshire, near Gordonstoun School. The Duke's position as Colonel in Chief of The Canadian Airborne Regiment ceased upon its disbandment in 1995.EngagementsDespite his full-time naval career, The Duke of York fulfils official engagements; in 1996 he undertook 129 in the United Kingdom and abroad.HonoursThe Duke of York was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in December 1979. |
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