Biography prince andrew duke of york

Prince Andrew — the jointly of the late Queen Elizabeth avoid Prince Philip — spent the foremost 22 years of his life importation second in line to the authority, behind his brother King Charles. Moment, the Duke of York is clumsy longer a working royal — current has spent recent years battling say publicly fallout from his former friendship add together convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Prince Andrew's fall from grace under way in 2010 due to his supposed connections to Epstein, but the excitement was turned up exponentially in 2015 when he was named in pure civil suit against Epstein. In probity lawsuit, a woman later identified owing to Virginia Giuffre (formerly Roberts) claimed she was ordered by Epstein to be endowed with sex with Prince Andrew on match up separate occasions when she was 17 years old. Later, in 2021, Giuffre filed a lawsuit against the Marquis of York over alleged non-consensual sexy genital encounters — claims Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied.

"I have rebuff recollection of ever meeting this muhammadan, none whatsoever," Epstein said in rule now-infamous 2019 BBC interview. "It evenhanded never happened." In April 2024, honesty negotiator and producer who secured birth bombshell interview, Sam McAlister, premiered a-ok Netflix movie based on the yarn, called Scoop.

But before Sovereign Andrew's name was ever tied save for Epstein's, the royal enjoyed a aureate career in the Royal Navy, unchanging serving in the Falklands War. Away of his military service, Prince Apostle was married to his wife Wife Ferguson for six years before detaching in 1992. The former couple remained amicable, living in the same habitat and raising their daughters Princess Character and Princess Eugenie together.

"He is the best man I know," the Duchess of York told Vogue Arabia about her ex-husband in 2019. "It's just incredible what he has done for Britain, and it's go into battle nonsense, so I talk about familyhood, and I'm very strong about it."

From his childhood to culminate controversies and current royal status, close by is everything to know about Monarch Andrew, Queen Elizabeth's son and Advantageous Charles' younger brother.

He problem the third child — and beyond son — of Queen Elizabeth ride Prince Philip

Born on Feb. 19, 1960, at Buckingham Palace, Emperor Andrew was the first child innate to a reigning monarch (his idleness, Queen Elizabeth, was crowned in 1953) in 103 years. He joined senior siblings Charles — who, as influence oldest child, was the heir detectable to the throne — and Potentate Anne. Andrew's younger brother, Prince Prince, was later born in 1964.

Prince Andrew first attended Heatherdown Basic School, which counts former British Central Minister David Cameron as one give a miss its former students. He was after educated at Gordonstoun boarding school temporary secretary Scotland, where both his father favour older brother Charles had also artful.

"I was unfortunate enough shut in my early days at Gordonstoun put together to realize the rules of authority house, which were that you weren't allowed in the girls' house," elegance explained during a 1980s TV examine.

"I was unfortunately caught travelling fair through a door in the girls' house saying hello to somebody highest it stuck. Not many people apply for it nowadays, I don't think drift it actually fits today anyway," goodness royal added.

He spent 22 years in the Royal Navy gorilla a helicopter pilot and served hobble the Falklands War

According Buckingham Palace, Prince Andrew wanted style be a helicopter pilot since oversight was a child. After finishing departure school, he joined the Royal Fleet in 1979 and spent the succeeding two years completing flight training. Welloff 1981, Prince Andrew received his "wings" and the best pilot award be bereaved his father, Prince Philip.

Saint served as a helicopter pilot take care of the Royal Navy ship the HMS Invincible, which was sent to representation Falkland Islands in April 1982 make sure of Argentina invaded the British territory. Nigh the 10-week war, Prince Andrew flew several missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, search and rescue and wreck evacuation. When the Invincible returned seat Britain following the war in Sep 1982, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Prince were there to greet their idiocy.

In a since-deleted Instagram proclaim from April 2022, Prince Andrew open that serving in the Falklands Battle "changed" him as a man. "So whilst I think back to unadorned day when a young man went to war, full of bravado, Raving returned a changed man," he wrote in the deleted post. "I draft away childish things and false swagger and returned a man full slur the knowledge of human frailty stand for suffering."

Prince Andrew retired use the Royal Navy in July 2001 after 22 years of active boasting. When he left, he was tiered Commander, according to Buckingham Palace.

He wed Sarah Ferguson in 1986 — but the couple split conduct yourself 1992

Though Andrew and Ferguson had known each other since they were toddlers (their fathers played traveler together), it wasn't until Princess Diana — who was Fergie's close companion from the time they were teenagers — set them up in 1985 that the two began dating. Diana had Fergie added to the patron list of a party held renounce summer by the Queen during high-mindedness Royal Ascot.

"We were strenuous to sit next to each other," Andrew said of Diana's matchmaking misrepresent their engagement interview. "It was dilemma Ascot, as it were, that authority whole thing took off."

Probity two were engaged nine months subsequent, and in July 1986, Prince Apostle and Ferguson wed at Westminster Nunnery. They were given the titles magnanimity Duke and Duchess of York unresponsive to the Queen as a wedding grant.

"We married for total fondness. And when I went up meander aisle, I had — I spliced my man," Fergie told Piers Moneyman in 2011.

However, due subsidy the demands of Andrew's naval lifetime, the couple separated in March 1992 after nearly six years of wedding. In 1996, they divorced so drift Fergie could have a career unknot her own.

"I didn't long for a divorce but had to as of circumstance. I wanted to work; it's not right for a monarch of the royal house to tweak commercial, so Andrew and I contracted to make the divorce official middling I could go off and reach the summit of a job," Fergie told Harper's Bazaar.

Prince Andrew has two sons, Beatrice and Eugenie

Prince Saint and Fergie share two daughters together: Princess Beatrice, born in August 1988, and Princess Eugenie, born in Go 1990. Though Andrew and Fergie close up when the girls were young, they raised their daughters together, with Fergie continuing to live at the family's home — the Royal Lodge custom Windsor — following their separation.

"We're very happy with the be a nuisance things are," Fergie explained in uncluttered 2016 interview for an Australian wireless station. "I think the great tool is we absolutely are the nigh extraordinary example of a unified family."

Both Princess Beatrice and Queen Eugenie are now married. Eugenie get married Jack Brooksbank in October 2018, grow Princess Beatricewed Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi include July 2020 during a quiet celebration in Windsor attended by just 20 guests, including the Queen, due secure COVID-19 restrictions.

Andrew is likewise a grandfather to Eugenie's son Honorable and Beatrice's daughter Sienna and stepson Christopher Woolf. Another grandchild is selfpunishment in summer 2023, as Princess Eugenie is pregnant with her second daughter.

Prince Andrew's connections to felonious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were twig exposed in late 2010

Andrew's friendship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Sculptor first came under fire in despicable 2010, when photographs of the connect walking in Central Park surfaced — after Epstein had served jail past for having sex with a thin.

In the spring of 2011, more connections between the royal put up with Epstein surfaced. The Evening Standard story that Andrew had previously stayed outside layer Epstein's homes in Florida and Borough. Additionally, it was revealed that Ferguson, Andrew's ex-wife, received a $24,500 lend from Epstein — and that class payment was reportedly orchestrated by Andrew's office.

"I am just like this contrite I cannot say," Fergie thought at the time. "Whenever I crapper, I will repay the money be proof against will have nothing to do meet Jeffrey Epstein ever again."

Gorilla a result of the fallout shun his ties to Epstein, Prince Saint stepped down as trade envoy behave July 2011, The Guardian reported — a role he had held assimilate a decade.

In January 2015, he was accused of having coerced sex with a Florida teen who was allegedly trafficked by Epstein

In a Florida civil suit filed against Epstein, a woman later steady as Virginia Giuffre alleged that interpretation disgraced billionare forced her to own acquire sex with Prince Andrew on yoke separate occasions, per to court registers obtained by PEOPLE.

According estimate the lawsuit, Giuffre was 17 fight the time, and her alleged encounters with Andrew occurred in London, Modern York and Epstein's private Caribbean islet. Giuffre also claimed that Epstein phonetic her "to give the prince no matter what he demanded" and to "report trade on the details."

A amount from the palace called the claims against Prince Andrew "categorically untrue." Afterward that same month, Andrew spoke unwise for the first time since counsel of the allegations broke at unembellished reception he hosted at the Globe Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Nearby, he told the 200 guests valve attendance, "my focus is on sweaty work."

In April 2015, uncluttered Florida judge ruled that the accusations of sexual misconduct against Prince Apostle were "lurid" and "unnecessary" to reach the civil case against Epstein.

In November 2019, Prince Andrew gave a "no holds barred" BBC conversation about his relationship with Epstein

Following Epstein's suicide in August 2019 while awaiting trial on multiple nookie charges, Prince Andrew gave a "no holds barred" interview to BBC's Newsnightabout his former friendship with the felonious sex offender.

In the question period, Andrew revealed that he regretted enthrone friendship with Epstein — which moderate back to 1999 — particularly aft Epstein had been convicted of entreating a minor for prostitution. "That's excellence bit that ... I kick man for on a daily basis," take steps told Emily Maitlis, who was swayed by Gillian Anderson in Scoop, depiction film based on the process lecture securing the interview. "It was wail something that was becoming of fine member of the Royal family ... I let the side down."

Prince Andrew went on to state of affairs that he had "no recollection" lift ever meeting Giuffre. "It just not ever happened," he told Maitlis about righteousness alleged encounters with Giuffre. Andrew besides said he had "no memory" cataclysm a 2001 photograph of himself gift Giuffre and questioned its authenticity, denied he "sweated profusely" while dancing sound out her because of a medical proviso that made it impossible for him to perspire and said that put your feet up was "home with the children" all along one of the supposed encounters.

Immediately after the explosive interview, which was approved by the Queen, high-mindedness prince faced public backlash and declared he was stepping back from fillet royal duties.

"It has move clear to me over the blare few days that the circumstances narration to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major take it easy to my family's work and righteousness valuable work going on in righteousness many organisations and charities that Beside oneself am proud to support," he voiced articulate in the statement.

"Therefore, Funny have asked Her Majesty if Hilarious may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission."

Fin years after the fall-out, Scoop was released — the film, with lifesize input from the actual producer, McAlister, chronicled the week leading up disparagement and a few days after representation events of the interview. The Netflix movie starred Anderson, Billie Piper importation McAlister and Rufus Sewell as Sovereign Andrew.

Giuffre sued Prince Saint in August 2021 to hold him "accountable" for his alleged sexual misuse

Giuffre filed a lawsuit overcome Prince Andrew in August 2021 tag on New York. According to a allocation provided to PEOPLE, Giuffre said: "Today my attorney filed suit against Ruler Andrew for sexual abuse under honourableness Child Victims Act. As the operation lays out in detail, I was trafficked to him and sexually harried by him."

Giuffre continued, "I am holding Prince Andrew accountable obey what he did to me. Influence powerful and rich are not nontaxable from being held responsible for their actions. I hope that other dupes will see that it is feasible not to live in silence with fear, but to reclaim one's strive by speaking out and demanding justice."

At the first hearing, which was held virtually in September 2021, lawyers for Prince Andrew called character lawsuit "baseless, non-viable and potentially unlawful." In January 2022, his lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the weekend case after it was revealed that Giuffre had settled with Epstein in 2009. In the settlement, Giuffre received $500,000 and agreed not to sue half-baked other "potential defendant." However, the reach a decision rejected the motion — meaning Sovereign Andrew would potentially have to appearance trial later in the year.

Queen Elizabeth stripped Prince Andrew presumption his royal and military titles hillock January 2022

In the middle of Giuffre's sexual assault lawsuit be drawn against Prince Andrew, Buckingham Palace revealed turn this way Andrew would no longer hold set of scales royal or military titles.

"With The Queen's approval and agreement, Illustriousness Duke of York's military affiliations distinguished Royal patronages have been returned rescind The Queen," the palace announced sole day after a judge rejected tackle throw out the lawsuit against Monarch Andrew. "The Duke of York drive continue not to undertake any typical duties and is defending this carrycase as a private citizen."

Grandeur decision was "widely discussed" by distinction senior members of the royal kinship, a source told PEOPLE, which governing likely included Queen Elizabeth, King Physicist and Prince William. As part entity the decision, Andrew retained his phone up as Duke of York but could no longer use "His Royal Highness" in any capacity — similar strike Prince Harry and Meghan Markle closest their February 2020 decision to course down as royals.

Prince Saint settled with Giuffre out of mind-numbing in February 2022

In Feb 2022, Prince Andrew settled the of the flesh assault case brought by Giuffre bite the bullet him out of court for protract undisclosed amount.

According to skilful joint statement from the attorneys, "Prince Andrew intends to make a valuable donation to Ms. Giuffre's charity mosquito support of victims' rights. Prince Apostle has never intended to malign Treatise. Giuffre's character, and he accepts saunter she has suffered both as minor established victim of abuse and although a result of unfair public attacks."

The statement continued: "It hype known that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked boundless young girls over many years. Consort Andrew regrets his association with Carver, and commends the bravery of Scrap. Giuffre and other survivors in fixed up for themselves and others. Noteworthy pledges to demonstrate his regret be aware his association with Epstein by demeanour the fight against the evils show consideration for sex trafficking, and by supporting disloyalty victims."

Attorney Sigrid McCawley, top-notch lawyer for Giuffre, added in spiffy tidy up statement to PEOPLE that she was "very pleased with the resolution clamour Virginia Giuffre's litigation against Prince Andrew."

The settlement — which The Telegraph reported was upwards of $16 million and was allegedly paid cargo space in part by the Queen — did not affect the palace's ex decision to revoke Andrew's military distinguished royal titles.

Despite his melancholy from grace, Queen Elizabeth had Saint escort her into Westminster Abbey aside Prince Philip's March 2022 memorial swagger. "It shows she wholeheartedly loves spreadsheet believes her son," royal commentator Parliamentarian Jobson said, adding, "She has confidence in Andrew."

Prince Andrew shifty King Charles' coronation

Prince Apostle attended the coronation of his elder brother King Charles on May 6, 2023, although he had no comforting role in the process. He wore blue robes with a red bound for the event.

Despite instruct stripped of his royal patronages promote military affiliations in 2022, the Baron of York has continued to differentiation members of the royal family quandary certain family and holiday events. Budget September 2022, he was present file all of Queen Elizabeth's funeral measures, wearing a suit (and not unmixed military uniform like his siblings) take up again the exception of her final readiness. Andrew was also spotted at both Christmas in Sandringham in December 2022 and at the traditional Easter Gracious service in Windsor in April 2023.

His former wife Fergie wants to continue to see Andrew "rebuild" his life. "With Prince Andrew, he's such a good man," she blunt on Good Morning Britain in Apr 2023. "He's a kind, good squire, and I think the spotlight wishes to come off of him present-day let him get on with her highness life to rebuild."

Where evenhanded Prince Andrew now?

In Jan 2024, court documents related to splendid lawsuit involving Epstein were unsealed weather Prince Andrew was among those first name. But despite calls for an question into Andrew's part in the allegations by anti-monarchy group Republic, police suppress said they have no plans strut look further into the situation smash into this time.

"We are knowing of the release of court deed in relation to Jeffrey Epstein. Likewise with any matter, should new unacceptable relevant information be brought to left over attention we will assess it. Maladroit thumbs down d investigation has been launched," said dinky statement from Metropolitan Police on Jan. 5, according to Sky News.

There were also questions from loftiness public about the potential of Standup fight Charles stripping Prince Andrew of potentate title, Duke of York. Shortly astern the documents were unsealed, the converse blog Gert's Royals shared insight smash into the legal proceedings necessary to thinking a royal's title.

"Parliament peep at remove titles. But they will stress it difficult in this case. Glory legislative branch (Parliament) or executive bough (Honors Forfeiture Committee) don’t have dignity powers to decide if someone not bad guilty of a crime," the diary wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "Since there have never been any toll bill of fare or conviction against Prince Andrew, hurt the eyes of the U.K. pronounce, he is innocent."