Prince Andrew is a member of the British royal family, best known as the second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Prince Andrew was born on February 19, 1960, at Buckingham Palace in London, United Kingdom. He was the first child born to a reigning British monarch in 103 years. His parents were Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Initially educated by a governess at Buckingham Palace, Andrew began formal schooling at age eight when he was enrolled at Heatherdown Preparatory School in Ascot. At age 13, he continued his education at Gordonstoun School in Morayshire, Scotland, following in the footsteps of his father and older brother, Prince Charles.
Prince Andrew pursued a career in the Royal Navy, undergoing officer training at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth and subsequently qualifying as a helicopter pilot. During the Falklands War in 1982, Prince Andrew served as a Sea King helicopter co-pilot aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible. He participated in multiple missions, including search-and-rescue and anti-submarine operations. His active contribution during the conflict earned him a promotion to lieutenant in February 1984. Later that year, he was appointed a personal aide-de-camp to the Queen.
After retiring from active naval service in 2001, Prince Andrew assumed various ceremonial and charitable responsibilities. He supported numerous organizations and served as a patron of charities such as Fight for Sight, the British Deaf Association, the Children's Foundation, the British Science Association, and the Outward Bound Trust. He was also appointed the United Kingdom’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, a role he held from 2001 to 2011.
Prince Andrew's public image faced considerable scrutiny beginning in August 2019, when renewed attention was drawn to his association with American financier Jeffrey Epstein, who had been charged with multiple counts of sex trafficking before dying in jail. Despite Prince Andrew’s formal denials of any wrongdoing, his connection to Epstein led to widespread public and media backlash. In November 2019, amid mounting criticism, Prince Andrew announced he would step back from public duties indefinitely.
In July 1986, Prince Andrew married Sarah Ferguson, a childhood acquaintance. Their courtship was reportedly encouraged by Princess Diana, a friend to both. Upon their marriage, the Queen granted Andrew and Sarah the titles Duke and Duchess of York. Their relationship was the subject of intense media coverage, which, alongside personal challenges, contributed to their separation in 1992. Despite their eventual divorce in 1996, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson have remained on amicable terms. They have two daughters: Princess Beatrice of York, born in 1988, and Princess Eugenie of York, born in 1990.
Prince Andrew's exact net worth is not publicly verified, though estimates suggest it ranges in the low tens of millions of pounds. His income has historically come from a combination of Royal Navy pension, grants from the Privy Purse, and various investments. However, financial scrutiny has grown in recent years, particularly in light of legal controversies and questions surrounding some of his personal business dealings.
