Prince Andrew: Who is the royal and will he attend the coronation?
Duke of York has not been a working royal since 2020
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Your support makes all the difference.The Duke of York is expected to attend his brother, King Charles’ coronation on Saturday 6 May alongside his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, and other members of the royal family.
However, as he is not working royal, Prince Andrew will likely not appear on the famous Buckingham Palace balcony following the ceremony.
The duke stepped down from royal duties in 2019 over his links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. In January 2022, he was stripped of his HRH title after he was accused of sexual assault by Virginia Giuffre, a victim of Epstein’s. He has vehemently and continuously denied these claims.
In February 2022, Andrew reached a multi-million pound out of court settlement with Ms Giuffre, which included damages and a donation to her charity “in support of victims’ rights”.
In a statement confirming the settlement, Andrew said he “regrets his association with Epstein and commends the bravery of Ms Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others”.
The duke has largely stayed out of the spotlight since stepping down from public duties, but was most recently seen attending Easter service with the King and Queen Consort Camilla, the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and the Prince and Princess of Wales in early April.
Prior to that, his last public appearance was at his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September.
Here’s everything you need to know about the royal.
When was he born?
Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward is the Queen and the late Prince Philip's third child.
At the time of his birth on 19 February 1960, he was second in line to the throne behind his older brother, Prince Charles.
As it currently stands, the royal is now ninth in the order of succession, moving down from eight place following the birth of the Duke of Sussex’s second child, Lilibet, on 4 June 2021.
What is his job?
Until recently, Andrew held the rank of commander and the honorary rank of vice admiral in the Royal Navy.
During his career in the military, Andrew served as an active-duty helicopter pilot, instructor and the captain of a warship.
He also served during the Falklands War in 1982 and was Britain's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment until July 2011.
The Duke’s biography on the royal family’s website states: “The Duke of York undertakes a wide range of public work, with a strong economic and business focus. In recent years, His Royal Highness has concentrated his activity on three core areas in which he believes he can have the greatest impact: education and skills, entrepreneurship and science, technology and engineering.”
He is also founder of Pitch@Palace – an annual event at which budding entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a roomful of potential supporters from the business community.
Does he have children?
The royal has two children, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, from his marriage to Sarah “Fergie” Ferguson.
The pair wed on 23 July 1986 at Westminster Abbey and separated in 1992, finalising their divorce in 1996. The pair remain very close and are still living together. They are also regularly seen on outings and on holiday together.
Beatrice was born 8 August 1988 and Eugenie was welcomed into the royal family on 23 March 1990.
In 2016, the Duke said there was “no truth” in rumours of a rift between him and Prince Charles over his daughters' participation as members of the royal family.
In a rare public statement, Andrew posted a link on Twitter in response to rumours regarding Eugenie and Beatrice.
He said: “It is a complete fabrication to suggest I have asked for any future husbands of the Princesses to have titles.
“There is no truth to the story that there could be a split between The Prince of Wales and I over my daughters' participation as members of the Royal Family and any continued speculation is pointless.”
On 14 October 2018, Eugenie married financier Jack Brooksbank at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.
Two years later on 17 July 2020, Beatrice married property tycoon Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in a secret ceremony at All Saints Chapel in Windsor Great Park.
Where does he live?
Royal Lodge is the official resident of the Duke of York, which is located in Windsor Great Park.
The Queen Mother previously lived in the private residence before the site was gifted to Prince Andrew in 2003.
However, Andrew has reportedly said he will have to move out of Royal Lodge if the King cuts his allowance, but is understood to be “resisting” any attempts to move him into Frogmore Cottage.
Frogmore Cottage is the former UK residence of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, but the King requested they vacate it earlier this year. The monarch reportedly offered the keys to Andrew, who has not accepted them.
What is Virginia Giuffre’s case against him?
On Wednesday 12 January 2022, a New York judge ruled that the Duke will have to face allegations that he sexually abused Ms Giuffre when she was aged 17.
The royal, who denies the allegations, had asked the court to dismiss the case.
His lawyers argued that a non-prosecution agreement signed by Ms Giuffre in 2009 – that she would not sue anyone else connected to Epstein after she settled her damages claim against him – should absolve Prince Andrew of liability.
In the 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, the Duke told Emily Maitlis the encounter with Ms Guiffre could not have taken place because he was at a branch of Pizza Express in Woking, Surrey with his daughter, Princess Beatrice at the time.
He also denied Ms Giuffre’s claim that he was sweaty at a nightclub, telling the journalist that an “overdose of adrenaline in the Falklands war” had left him unable to sweat.