Who Is Prince Andrew? What to Know About the Disgraced Royal — And Where He Stands in the Royal Family Now

Mar. 15, 2025

Prince Andrew— the son of the lateQueen ElizabethandPrince Philip— spent the first 22 years of his life as second in line to the throne, behind his brotherKing Charles. Now, the Duke of York is no longer a working royal — and has spent recent years battling the fallout from his former friendship withconvicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever,” Epstein said in his now-infamous2019 BBC interview. “It just never happened.” In April 2024, the negotiator and producer who secured the bombshell interview, Sam McAlister, premiered a Netflix movie based on the events, calledScoop.

But before Prince Andrew’s name was ever tied to Epstein’s, the royal enjoyed a decorated career in the Royal Navy, even serving in the Falklands War. Outside of his military service, Prince Andrew was married to his wifeSarah Fergusonfor six years before separating in 1992. The former coupleremained amicable, living in the same house and raising their daughtersPrincess BeatriceandPrincess Eugenietogether.

“He is the best man I know,” the Duchess of York toldVogue Arabiaabout her ex-husband in 2019. “It’s just incredible what he has done for Britain, and it’s all nonsense, so I talk about familyhood, and I’m very strong about it.”

From his childhood to his controversies and current royal status, here is everything to know about Prince Andrew,Queen Elizabeth’s son and King Charles' younger brother.

He is the third child — and second son — of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip

Fox Photos/Getty

Born on Feb. 19, 1960, at Buckingham Palace, Prince Andrew was the first child born to a reigning monarch (his mother,Queen Elizabeth, was crowned in 1953) in 103 years. He joined older siblings Charles — who, as the oldest child, was the heir apparent to the throne — andPrincess Anne. Andrew’s younger brother,Prince Edward, was later born in 1964.

Prince Andrew first attended Heatherdown Preparatory School, which counts former British Prime Minister David Cameron as one of its former students. He was later educated at Gordonstoun boarding school in Scotland, where both his father and older brother Charles had also attended.

“I was unfortunately caught going through a door in the girls' house saying hello to somebody and it stuck. Not many people use it nowadays, I don’t think that it actually fits today anyway,” the royal added.

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

Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty

According toBuckingham Palace, Prince Andrew wanted to be a helicopter pilot since he was a child. After finishing boarding school, he joined the Royal Navy in 1979 and spent the next two years completing flight training. In 1981, Prince Andrew received his “wings” and the best pilot award from his father,Prince Philip.

Andrew served as a helicopter pilot on the Royal Navy ship theHMS Invincible, which was sent to the Falkland Islands in April 1982 after Argentina invaded the British territory. During the 10-week war, Prince Andrew flew several missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, search and rescue and casualty evacuation. When theInvinciblereturned to Britain following the war in September 1982,Queen ElizabethandPrince Philipwere there to greet their son.

In a since-deleted Instagram post from April 2022, Prince Andrew revealed that serving in the Falklands War “changed” him as a man. “So whilst I think back to a day when a young man went to war, full of bravado, I returned a changed man,” hewrote in the deleted post. “I put away childish things and false bravado and returned a man full in the knowledge of human frailty and suffering.”

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

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

Derek Hudson/Getty

“We were made to sit next to each other,” Andrew said of Diana’s matchmaking in their engagement interview. “It was at Ascot, as it were, that the whole thing took off.”

“We married for total love. And when I went up that aisle, I had — I married my man,” Fergie toldPiers Morganin 2011.

However, due to the demands of Andrew’s naval career, the couple separated in March 1992 after nearly six years of marriage. In 1996, theydivorcedso that Fergie could have a career of her own.

“I didn’t want a divorce but had to because of circumstance. I wanted to work; it’s not right for a princess of the royal house to be commercial, so Andrew and I decided to make the divorce official so I could go off and get a job,” Fergie toldHarper’s Bazaar.

Prince Andrew has two daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie

UK Press/Getty

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

“We’re very happy with the way things are,” Fergie explained in a 2016 interview for an Australian radio station. “I think the great thing is we absolutelyare the most extraordinary example of a unified family.”

Andrew is also a grandfather toEugenie’s sons August and Ernest, andBeatrice’s daughters Sienna and Athena and stepson Christopher Woolf.

Prince Andrew’s connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were first exposed in late 2010

Davidoff Studios/Getty

Andrew’sfriendship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epsteinfirst came under fire in late 2010, when photographs of the two walking in Central Park surfaced — after Epstein had served jail time for having sex with a minor.

“I am just so contrite I cannot say,” Fergie said at the time. “Whenever I can, I will repay the money and will have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again.”

As a result of the fallout from his ties to Epstein, Prince Andrew stepped down as trade envoy in July 2011,The Guardianreported— a role he had held for a decade.

According to the lawsuit, Giuffre was 17 at the time, and her alleged encounters with Andrew occurred in London, New York and Epstein’s private Caribbean island. Giuffre also claimed that Epstein told her “to give the prince whatever he demanded” and to “report back on the details.”

A statement from the palace called the claims against Prince Andrew “categorically untrue.” Later that same month, Andrew spoke out for the first time since news of the allegations broke at a reception he hosted at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. There, he told the 200 guests in attendance, “my focus is on my work.”

In April 2015, a Florida judge ruled that the accusations of sexual misconduct against Prince Andrewwere “lurid” and “unnecessary"to decide the civil case against Epstein.

In November 2019, Prince Andrew gave a “no holds barred” BBC interview about his relationship with Epstein

Karwai Tang/WireImage

Prince Andrew went on to state that he had"no recollection” of ever meeting Giuffre. “It just never happened,” he told Maitlis about the alleged encounters with Giuffre. Andrew also said he had “no memory” of a 2001 photograph of himself and Giuffre and questioned its authenticity, denied he “sweated profusely” while dancing with her because of a medical condition that made it impossible for him to perspire and said that he was “home with the children” during one of the supposed encounters.

“It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support,” he said in the statement.

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

Five years after the fall-out,Scoopwas released — the film, with heavy input from the actual producer, McAlister, chronicled the week leading up to and a few days after the events of the interview. The Netflix movie starred Anderson, Billie Piper as McAlister and Rufus Sewell as Prince Andrew.

Giuffre sued Prince Andrew in August 2021 to hold him “accountable” for his alleged sexual abuse

At the first hearing, which was held virtually in September 2021, lawyers for Prince Andrewcalled the lawsuit “baseless, non-viable and potentially unlawful.“In January 2022, his lawyersfiled a motion to dismiss the caseafter it was revealed that Giuffre had settled with Epstein in 2009. In the settlement, Giuffre received $500,000 and agreed not to sue any other “potential defendant.” However, the judge rejected the motion — meaning Prince Andrew would potentially have to face trial later in the year.

Queen Elizabeth stripped Prince Andrew of his royal and military titles in January 2022

In the midst of Giuffre’s sexual assault lawsuit against Prince Andrew, Buckingham Palace revealed that Andrewwould no longer hold any royal or military titles.

“With The Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen,” thepalace announcedone day after a judge rejected to throw out the lawsuit against Prince Andrew. “The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.”

Prince Andrew settled with Giuffre out of court in February 2022

Prince Andrew; Virginia Roberts Giuffre.Alexander Koerner/Getty; Emily Michot/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty

According to a joint statement from the attorneys, “Prince Andrew intends to make a substantial donation to Ms. Giuffre’s charity in support of victims' rights. Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms. Giuffre’s character, and he accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks.”

Attorney Sigrid McCawley, a lawyer for Giuffre, added in a statement to PEOPLE that she was “very pleased with the resolution of Virginia Giuffre’s litigation against Prince Andrew.”

Despite hisfall from grace,Queen ElizabethhadAndrew escort herinto Westminster Abbey duringPrince Philip’s March 2022 memorial service. “It shows she wholeheartedly loves and believes her son,” royal commentator Robert Jobson said, adding, “She has faith in Andrew.”

Prince Andrew attended King Charles' coronation

Prince Andrew attended thecoronationof his older brother King Charles on May 6, 2023, although he hadno formal role in the process. He wore blue robes with a red sash for the event.

Despite being stripped of his royal patronages and military affiliations in 2022, the Duke of York has continued to join members of the royal family at certain family and holiday events. In September 2022, he was present at all ofQueen Elizabeth’s funeralproceedings,wearing a suit(and not a military uniform like his siblings) with the exception of her final vigil. Andrew was also spotted at bothChristmas in Sandringhamin December 2022 and atthe traditional Easter Sunday service in Windsorin April 2023.

His former wife Fergie wants to continueto see Andrew “rebuild” his life. “With Prince Andrew, he’s such a good man,” she said onGood Morning Britainin April 2023. “He’s a kind, good man, and I think the spotlight needs to come off of him and let him get on with his life to rebuild.”

Where is Prince Andrew now?

Prince Andrew, Duke of York at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, to attend the Easter Mattins Service, on March 31, 2024.JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty

JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty

“We are aware of the release of court documents in relation to Jeffrey Epstein. As with any matter, should new and relevant information be brought to our attention we will assess it. No investigation has been launched,” said a statement from Metropolitan Police on Jan. 5, according toSky News.

There were also questions from the public about thepotential of King Charles stripping Prince Andrew of his title, Duke of York. Shortly after the documents were unsealed, the royal blog Gert’s Royals shared insight into the legal proceedings necessary to take a royal’s title.

“Parliament can remove titles. But they will find it difficult in this case. The legislative branch (Parliament) or executive branch (Honors Forfeiture Committee) don’t have the powers to decide if someone is guilty of a crime,” the blog wrote onX (formerly Twitter). “Since there have never been any charges or conviction against Prince Andrew, in the eyes of the U.K. government, he is innocent.”

source: people.com