Son of Queen Elizabeth II of England, Andrew. Members of the British royal family. Personal coat of arms and awards

Princess Eugenie's wedding day is approaching and we want to know everything about her: her outfit, her ring and, of course, her parents. Despite their divorce in 1996, Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson and Prince Andrew, the second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, remained close, and their strong relationship with their daughters is proof of that. The former couple is expected to reunite at their daughter's wedding on October 12, 2018.

Here's everything we know about the Duke and Duchess of York's complicated relationship.

Eugenia's parents were introduced to each other by Princess Diana

Sarah Ferguson and Princess Diana have a long history. Although their mothers went to school together, they only became close in their teens after meeting at a polo match. Fergie's father, Sir Ronald Ferguson, was the manager of Prince Charles' polo team. They quickly became friends, and Fergie even had his own nickname for Lady Dee: "Dutch."

“I remember the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles very well. I couldn’t even imagine then that I would be walking down the same aisle many years later,” Sarah Ferguson told Oprah Winfrey in an interview. In 1985, Diana played matchmaker, inviting Fergie to stay at Windsor Castle for Royal Ascot Week. During dinner, Fergie, then 25, sat next to Prince Andrew and Diana's plan worked miraculously.

After a stormy romance, they married on July 23, 1986.

Less than a year after the meeting, on March 16, 1986, the couple announced their engagement. Fergie's engagement ring made headlines: The ring, which cost Prince Andrew almost $33,000, contained a stunning Burmese ruby ​​and 10 diamonds.

The couple married at Westminster Abbey in the summer of that year and officially became the Duke and Duchess of York.

The newlyweds immediately embarked on their royal duties, attending an annual trip to Canada immediately after they got married. After a two-week tour, they honeymooned on a canoe trip across Canada.

During this time, Sarah Ferguson was loved and supported by both the royal family and the tabloids. Her earthy nature, publishing career, and outgoing personality were considered refreshing. And Lady Dee was her biggest fan.

Their “happy marriage” was deceptive

The couple did not wait long to have children: Princess Beatrice of York was born on 8 August 1988 and Princess Eugenie of York was born on 23 March 1990.

While Fergie was adjusting to motherhood, Prince Andrew traveled the world as a naval officer. “I saw him 40 days a year for the first five years of our marriage. I had to learn how to be a princess from my own experience, ”said Sarah Oprah.

Prince Andrew's tight naval schedule ultimately led to the death of their relationship. The couple separated in 1992 and finalized their divorce in May 1996.

“I didn’t want a divorce, but I had to because of circumstances,” Sarah said in 2011. The Duchess of York also did not want to receive compensation from the royal family as part of the divorce.

When I met with Her Majesty about this, she asked, “What do you want, Sarah?” and I replied, "Your friendship," which I think startled her, because everyone said that I would require a big settlement.

After the divorce, the duchess claimed that she received £15,000 a year (about $20,000) in support. Her main sources of income are income from her book, the television show “Find Sarah” and her role as a spokesperson for weight watchers.

Sarah Ferguson was a target for British tabloids, angering the royal family

Initially, Fergie was loved by the British press. However, when photographers caught the Duchess sunbathing topless with financial adviser John Bryan in 1992, everything turned into a big scandal. Some suspect that these conflicting images led to Fergie and Andrew's separation.

In May 2010, a hidden camera video surfaced showing the Duchess's attempt to sell access to Prince Andrew to a wealthy Indian businessman for $500,000 (about $725,000). She later admitted that she was drunk during the recording of the video.

The family still participates in activities together

Until 2004 - eight years after her divorce - Fergie was still living with her family, Sunninghill Park in Berkshire. Today, the former couple owns a chalet in Verbier, Switzerland, where they often vacation with their daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie.

They still consider each other best friends. When asked if they would ever get married, she simply said, “He is still my handsome prince, he will always be my handsome prince.”

According to information that appeared in the press, 53-year-old Hollywood actress Demi Moore found her love in the person of 56-year-old British Prince Andrew, Duke of York, son of Elizabeth II. According to foreign journalists, the celebrities met at the Chelsea Flower Show charity event, which took place nine months ago in London. Media representatives also claim that the British queen has a negative attitude towards the relationship of the heir to the movie star, behind which there are three divorces, as well as problems with drugs and alcohol.

It is curious that, according to journalists, the British prince was introduced to Demi Moore by none other than Sarah Ferguson, the former wife of the Duke of York and the mother of his charming daughters. It's not just that a woman is sociable and friends with many stars. The actress and the duchess also have common interests - Sarah, like Demi, is fond of Kabbalah. According to a foreign tabloid insider, the women have been best friends for several years.

According to the data provided by journalists, Moore and Andrew's romance lasts about two months. They say that for the sake of the Duke of York, Demi began to fly to London more often, and even her children are delighted with their mother's new hobby. However, not only they are happy about the relationship between the actress and the heir to the British crown. According to sources from the royal family, Kate Middleton and Prince William also welcome the passion of the Duke of York.

However, Prince Andrew himself is also not one of the people with an impeccable past. In 2015, he was suspected of having an affair with an underage resident of the United States, with whom the relationship allegedly lasted between 1999 and 2002. The Duke of York himself and the press service of the royal family vehemently denied this information. And before that, there were reports in the media that Andrew's travels to other countries cost the British treasury a record high amount - millions of pounds. In addition, in the 80s, the Duke of York, who then had a reputation as a playboy, met with pornographic actress Koo Stark.

Family and ancestors of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and her husband Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Victoria(eng. Victoria, baptismal names Alexandrina Victoria - eng. Alexandrina Victoria) (May 24, 1819 - January 22, 1901) - Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from June 20, 1837, Empress of India from May 1, 1876 (proclamation in India - January 1 1877), the last representative of the Hanoverian dynasty on the throne of Great Britain. Victoria has been on the throne for over 63 years - more than any other British monarch. Victoria's father was Edward August, Duke of Kent, the fourth son of King George III, the mother of the future queen was Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg, Dowager Princess of Leiningen (1786 - March 16, 1861), who already had two children from her first marriage. Victoria's father, the Duke of Kent, died when her daughter was eight months old. She was brought up under the guidance of the Duchess of Northumberland; Received a good knowledge of botany and music. Victoria was married from February 10, 1840 to her cousin, Duke Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (August 26, 1819 - December 14, 1861), whom she gave in 1857 the title of Prince Consort. Victoria and Albert had 9 children, through her children and grandchildren Victoria became the "Grandmother of Europe", her descendants - Windsors, the kings of Great Britain, as well as the Hohenzollerns (Kaiser Wilhelm II her grandson), the Spanish Bourbons and the Romanovs. One of 9 children of Queen Victoria Alice Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine(25 April 1843 – 14 December 1878), married Prince (later Grand Duke) Ludwig of Hesse Mother of Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas II. In July 1862, Princess Alice married Prince Ludwig of Hesse (September 12, 1837 – March 13, 1892), who later became Duke of Hesse and by Rhine. The family, in which 7 children were born, lived in the capital of the duchy, the city of Darmstadt. One of 7 children of Alice Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine, Victoria(5 April 1863 – 24 September 1950) married Ludwig Battenberg (Mountbatten), grandmother of Philip of Edinburgh, husband of Elizabeth II; Victoria was born at Windsor Palace in the presence of her grandmother Queen Victoria. She was the first child of Princess Alice of Great Britain and Ludwig IV of Hesse. At one of the family meetings, Victoria met her distant relative, the German prince Ludwig Battenberg (1854-1921), son of Alexander of Hesse-Darmstadt. The couple lived in different parts of Europe, depending on the place of service of Ludwig. One of 4 Victoria's children Princess Alice of Battenberg(1885-1969), married to Andrei, Prince of Greece; from this marriage was born Prince Philip of Greece, who in 1947 married the future Queen Elizabeth II and during this marriage took his mother's surname (Mountbatten). Her Serene Highness Princess Victoria Alice Elizabeth Julia Maria Battenberg, mother of Prince Philip and mother-in-law of Queen Elizabeth II of England, was born in Berkshire, England on February 25, 1885, in the family of Prince Ludwig Alexander of Battenberg and his wife, Princess Victoria of Hesse-Darmstadt. Her mother was the granddaughter of Queen Victoria of England and the sister of the last Russian Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna. Alice met her future husband at the coronation of King Edward VII. Her chosen one was the Greek Prince Andrew, the son of King George I of Greece and Queen Olga of Greece, nee Grand Duchess. Andrei was the grandson of King Christian IX of Denmark and the great-grandson of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I. They were married on October 6, 1903. The wedding was attended by many descendants of Queen Victoria and King Christian IX of Denmark. Five children were born in the family: Margarita (1905-1981) - the first great-great-granddaughter Queen Victoria, married to Gottfried, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Theodora (1906-1969) - wife of the Baden prince Berthold. Cecilia (1911-1937) - married the Crown Prince of Hesse and the Rhine Geogra Donaus, died with her husband and children. Sophia (1914-2001) - in her first marriage to Christopher of Hesse, in the second to George Wilhelm of Hanover. Philip (1921) - husband of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, Prince Consort.
Prince Philip was the fifth child and only son of Prince Andrew, son of King George I of Greece and brother of the then reigning King Constantine, and at birth had the title of Prince of Greece and Denmark. Prince Andrew belonged to the Danish house of Glücksburg that reigned in Greece, his wife and mother Philippa, Princess Alice, belonged to the Battenberg family. Philip is the great-grandson of the Danish King Christian IX, the great-great-grandson of the English Queen Victoria and the Russian Emperor Nicholas I. Mary of Teck- wife of the British king George V, mother of Edward VIII and George VI. Queen Mary was also Empress of India and Queen of Ireland. Maria was born and raised in England. Her father was a prince from the morganatic branch of the Württemberg House of the Dukes of Teck, her mother was a member of the British royal family, the granddaughter of King George III. On July 6, 1893, Princess Mary of Teck married the Prince George V. George V the second son of the Prince and Princess of Wales (later Edward VII and Queen Alexandra) was born June 3, 1865 at Marlborough House (London). At baptism he received the name Georg Friedrich Ernst Albert. His father is Edward VII, his mother is Alexandra of Denmark. She is the sister of Maria Feodorovna - the wife of the Russian Emperor Alexander III and the mother of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II. George V was outwardly very similar to Nicholas II, his maternal cousin: George's mother Alexander and mother Nicholas Dagmar were the daughters of King Christian IX of Denmark and Queen Louise, born Princess of Hesse-Kassel. On January 14, 1892, during a flu epidemic, his elder brother Albert Victor died suddenly. The death of his brother made George second in the line of succession. In May 1892, Queen Victoria conferred on her grandson the title of Duke of York. In July 1893 he married Princess Victoria Maria of Teck of Baden-Württemberg, who had previously been engaged to his elder brother. After the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, the couple received the title of Prince of Wales. In 1910, Mary's husband became king and she received the title of Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India. At the end of the First World War on July 17, 1917, George V renounced all German titles and titles, as well as his family name, for himself and his family, adopting the surname "Windsor" after the name of Windsor Castle. After George's death in 1936, their eldest son Edward became king. But less than ten months later, he abdicated in order to marry American Wallis Simpson. Mary's second son became king George VI. Queen Mary strongly supported her son, who suffered from a stutter until his death in 1952. Mary died the following year, at the beginning of the reign of her granddaughter Elizabeth II. George VI- King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia and South Africa from December 11, 1936. From the Windsor dynasty. Second son of King George V and his wife, Queen Mary. Albert had four brothers: the future King Edward VIII (1894-1972), Henry, Duke of Gloucester (1900-1974), George, Duke of Kent (1902-1942), Prince John (1905-1919), who suffered from epilepsy and autism, and sister Mary (1897-1965), married Countess Harwood. By nature, Albert was a modest and shy person, moreover, he suffered from severe stuttering. In June 1920 he became the Duke of York, on April 26, 1923 he married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon daughter of the 14th Earl of Strathmore. Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (eng. Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon; August 4, 1900 - March 30, 2002) - wife of King George VI and queen consort of the United Kingdom in 1936-1952 as Queen Elizabeth (eng. Queen Elizabeth), the last Empress of India (1936-1950), Lord Keeper of the Five Harbors (1978-2002). Mother of the current Queen Elizabeth II. George VI met her back in 1905 (5-year-old Elizabeth treated 10-year-old Albert with candied cherries from a cake). Prince Albert, Duke of York (in the family - "Bertie") for the first time he proposed to Elizabeth to marry him in 1921, but she refused, "fearing that she would never again be able to think, speak and act freely, not like I feel like I should." When he announced that he would not marry anyone else, his mother, Queen Mary, visited Glamis and made sure that Elizabeth was "the only girl who could make Bertie happy", but did not interfere. At that time, James Stewart, Albert's equerry, was also courting Elizabeth until he left for America. In February 1922, Elizabeth was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Albert's sister, Princess Mary, Viscountess Lascelles. The following month, Albert again proposed marriage and was again refused. Finally, in January 1923, Elizabeth agreed to marry despite misgivings about a life in the royal family. They married on 26 April 1923 at Westminster Abbey. Two children were born in the family - April 21, 1926 Princess Elisabeth Alexandra (future Queen Elizabeth II),and August 21, 1930 - Princess Margaret Rose. Elizabeth II(Eng. Elisabeth II, full name - Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, Elisabeth Alexandra Mary; April 21, 1926, London) - the reigning queen of Great Britain. Comes from the Windsor dynasty. She ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 at the age of 25 after the death of her father, King George VI. He is the oldest British (English) monarch in history. He is currently the second longest-serving British throne in history (after Queen Victoria). Queen Elizabeth II has four children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. In 1930, the only sister of Elizabeth was born - princess margaret. Princess Margaret She was born on August 21, 1930 at Glamis Castle, Scotland. She was the youngest daughter of George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. On May 6, 1960, she married Anthony Armstrong-Jones, a photographer, a descendant of a small Welsh noble family, who received the title of Earl of Snowdon and Viscount Lynley. Two children are born from this marriage: David Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley, born November 3, 1961, Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, born May 1, 1964. In 1978, the Earl and Countess of Snowdon divorced, but in 2002 Margaret died of apoplexy. While in college, Prince Philip met his fourth cousins, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, who attended college with King George VI. After that, a correspondence began between Philip and Elizabeth, and in 1946 Philip asked the king for permission to marry the heir to the throne. In 1947, 21-year-old Elizabeth married 26-year-old Philip Mountbatten, an officer in the British Navy, a member of the Greek and Danish royal families and great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria. Philip and Elizabeth have four children: Charles, Prince of Wales (b.1948), Princess Anne (b.1950), Prince Andrew, Duke of York (b.1960) and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (b.1964). Charles, Prince of Wales(Eng. Charles, Prince of Wales), or simply Prince Charles, is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, heir to the British throne. It is known that in the 1970s, Charles courted many girls. In 1979, he proposed to his second cousin Amanda Natchbull, the granddaughter of the legendary commander, the last viceroy of India, Louis Mountbatten, but Amanda did not give her consent to the marriage. In 1980, Charles met Lady Sarah Spencer, daughter of the aristocrat John Spencer, Viscount Althorp and future 8th Earl Spencer, a branch of the same Spencer-Churchill family as the Duke of Marlborough, and Winston Churchill. Charles met her younger sister Diana, whom he eventually married on July 29, 1981. Her paternal ancestors were of royal blood through the illegitimate sons of King Charles II and the illegitimate daughter of his brother and successor, King James II. Earls Spencers have long lived in the very center of London, in Spencer House.
However, the marriage was unsuccessful. Relations between the spouses soon deteriorated, and since 1992 they officially lived separately, and in 1996 they divorced. Significant public attention was drawn to the scandal, and it did not have the best effect on the reputation of the Prince of Wales. Diana died in a car accident in Paris in 1997. Charles and Diana had two sons: Prince William, now the Duke of Cambridge (b. 21 June 1982) and Prince Harry(Henry) (b. September 15, 1984). Prince William Arthur Philip Louis, Duke of Cambridge (Eng. Prince William of the United Kingdom, Duke of Cambridge, born William Arthur Philip Louis; born June 21, 1982) - Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus, eldest son of the Prince of Wales Charles and his first wife, Princess Diana, grandson of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. As a member of the royal family, he has his own coat of arms, based on the state coat of arms of Great Britain. On November 16, 2010, Clarence House announced the engagement of Prince William and his longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton. The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton took place on April 29, 2011 at the London Collegiate Church of St. Peter's in Westminster Abbey. Prince Henry (Harry) of Wales(Eng. Prince Henry (Harry) of Wales, full name Henry Charles Albert David Mountbatten-Windsor, the youngest son of the Prince of Wales Charles and his first wife, the late Princess Diana, grandson of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain.
As a member of the royal family, on his eighteenth birthday he was granted a personal coat of arms based on the coat of arms of the monarch of the United Kingdom, as well as the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002), the Medal for Participation in the Military Campaign in Afghanistan (2008), the Diamond Medal Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II (2012). One of the most enviable bachelors of the planet. On April 9, 2005, Prince Charles married for the second time - to his longtime girlfriend, with whom he maintained relations both before marriage and during it - Camille Parker Bowles from a noble family, daughter of Bruce Shand, mother - nee Cubitt. The marriage ceremony was performed in a civil, not a church order - for the first time in the history of the British royal family. Through her marriage to Charles, Camilla received all of his titles, but chooses not to use her title of Princess of Wales as a mark of respect for the late Princess Diana. Instead, she uses the title of Duchess of Cornwall. Princess Anna- a member of the British royal family, the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II. The princess is known for her philanthropic work and as the only member of the British royal family to compete in the Olympics. She lived with her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips (born 1948), for 18.5 years.
From this marriage there are two children: Peter Phillips(1977) and Zara Phillips(1981). After her divorce from Phillips, she entered into a second marriage - with Commander (now Vice Admiral) Timothy Lawrence. As a member of the royal family, he has a personal coat of arms based on the British coat of arms. Zara Anna Elizabeth Phillips(Eng. Zara Anne Elizabeth Phillips; born May 15, 1981, Paddington, London) is a member of the British royal family, the second child and only daughter of Princess Anne and her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips, and thirteenth in the line of succession to the throne. She is married to England rugby captain Mike Tindall but retains her maiden name. Zara graduated from a privileged private school in Gordonston, Scotland. During her studies, she represented her school in hockey, track and field and gymnastics competitions. She later graduated from the University of Exeter as an equine physiotherapist. Peter married a 31-year-old Canadian Autumn Kelly. On December 29, 2010, her first granddaughter was born - Savannah Phillips, daughter of Peter Phillips, and, accordingly, the first great-granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II.

Prince Andrew, Duke of York- British Prince, Rear Admiral. Third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. The title of Duke of York was granted to him on July 23, 1986 - the day of his marriage to Sarah, Duchess of York. The Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York (from whom he has been divorced since May 30, 1996) have two children: Princess Beatrice of York(b. August 8, 1988) and princess Evgenia(Eugenia) York (born March 23, 1990). Princess Beatrice Elizabeth Mary of York(born Princess Beatrice Elizabeth Mary of York; born August 8, 1988) is a member of the British Royal Family. Eldest daughter of Andrew, Duke of York, second son of the current Queen Elizabeth II, and Sarah, Duchess of York. She received her primary education at Upton House School in Windsor, after which Beatrice, like her younger sister, Princess Eugenie of York, studied at Coworth Park School. At the age of 19, the British princess took a job as a saleswoman at the famous Selfridges department store in London. Her responsibilities included servicing VIP clients. For a month, Beatrice worked five days a week from nine in the morning until five in the evening. The Queen's granddaughter did not receive money for her work - this became her work experience, which is supposed to be acquired by all members of the royal family. In 2007, the extravagant princess starred in Martin Scorsese's The Young Victoria, a historical melodrama about Queen Victoria. And although Beatrice is a direct descendant of Victoria, her role in the film turned out to be quite insignificant, she did not even have to say a couple of words in the frame, playing one of the ladies-in-waiting. Princess Eugenie Victoria Helena of York(born Princess Eugenie Victoria Helena of York, born March 23, 1990) is a member of the British Royal Family. She is the youngest daughter of Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York. She is also the sixth and second woman in the line of succession to the throne of the sixteen Commonwealth states, after her older sister, Beatrice.
She and her sister are the only granddaughters of the Queen to be elevated to the title of Princess and Her Royal Highness. Prince Edward (Edward), Earl of Wessex- a member of the British royal family, the third son and youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He is 7th in the line of succession to the British throne, after his older brothers and their children. On June 19, 1999, Prince Edward married an employee of his firm. Sophie Rhys-Jones. In a departure from tradition, their wedding took place not in Westminster Abbey, but in the chapel of St. George in Windsor Castle. On their wedding day, Prince Edward was granted the title of Earl of Wessex. His wife became Her Royal Highness the Countess of Wessex.
At the time of the marriage, Buckingham Palace also announced that the children of Prince Edward would be treated as children of an earl, would not receive the titles of princes/princesses, and would not be referred to as royal highnesses. In the family of Edward and Sophie, two children were born: a daughter Louise(Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary, b. November 8, 2003) - "Lady Louise Windsor" (Windsor is the surname of descendants of members of the royal family who do not have personal titles) and son James(James Alexander Philip Theo, b. December 17, 2007) - "James, Viscount Severn" (Viscount Severn is an "additional title" of the Earl of Wessex; by tradition, the eldest son of the holder of the main title uses the additional title). Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor(b. November 8, 2003, Frimley, Surrey) is the daughter of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and Sophia, Countess of Wessex, the eldest of two children. Granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, ninth in line to the British throne. Prior to the birth of her younger brother James on December 17, 2007, she was ranked eighth. In April 2011, 7-year-old Lady Louise attended as bridesmaid Catherine Middleton (bridesmaid) at the wedding of her cousin, the Duke of Cambridge. James Windsor, Viscount Severn- the second child and only son of the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and his wife Sophia Rhys-Jones. He is eighth in the line of succession to the British throne. On April 19, 2008, Viscount Severn was baptized at Windsor Castle House Church. James' baptismal shirt was copied from the shirt of Empress Victoria of Germany. Like his elder sister Lady Louise Windsor, James does not actually hold the titles of prince and royal highness to which he is entitled under the 1917 law.

Prince Andrew, Duke of York, British Prince, Rear Admiral.

Prince Andrew: "Azerbaijan is a country of 'great opportunities' and the more British politicians and businesses come into contact with counterparts from Azerbaijan, the greater will be the material benefits."

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The son of Elizabeth II conquered the tallest building in Europe. Prince Andrew, 52, rappelled from London's Shard (), currently the largest skyscraper in Europe, from the 87th to the 20th floor. The prince's team consisted of 40 people. The action was held for charitable purposes - the proceeds will go to educational projects for children around the world.

“I won’t even tell you if it was easy and simple or not. I will never do that again,” the prince declared immediately after the descent.

According to the Daily Mail, the prince prepared thoroughly for the descent. The training he spent all summer with the Marines in Arbroath allowed him to climb 67 floors in just 30 minutes.

“Thanks to the training, I was able to start the descent without much shaking. It was very important to take the first step,” said the Duke of York.

This action brought in charitable collections worth more than 350,000 euros. Despite the fact that the organizers were counting on an income of a million pounds (1.2 million euros), the prince was pleased with the result, Sky News notes. Part of the donations were made by relatives and friends of the 52-year-old prince. For example, 500 pounds (about 600 euros) was contributed by his daughter, Princess Eugenie, who said she was proud of her father's act.

“One very nice person on the roof warned me - you will first slide and hit the windows, it may look awkward, but use your knees. That's exactly what I did. Indeed, the first sections I just slipped through. To be honest, it was scary,” he said after the descent.

The proceeds will be divided between two charitable organizations - the Outward Bound Trust, one of the leaders of which is Prince Andrew, and the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund, which helped the participants of the action prepare for the risky descent.

The noble act of Prince Andrew came in handy. The fact is that a few days earlier, his nephew Prince Harry was at the center of a scandal, once again jeopardizing the reputation of the royal family.

Another august offspring was photographed naked during a party in Las Vegas. The young man, having met a group of pretty girls in a bar, went up with them to his VIP suite at the five-star Wynn Hotel, where the company played strip billiards, as a result of which the prince soon found himself without clothes.

Photos literally in a few minutes scattered around the world.

Prince Andrew did not comment on the story with his nephew, but the British media, which were banned under the threat of a court from publishing pictures of Prince Harry, did not fail to note the variety of august "entertainment".

Prince Andrew was born on February 19, 1960 at Buckingham Palace. He became the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He was named after his paternal grandfather, Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark.

Like his older brothers and sisters, he was entrusted to a governess who took care of his upbringing and education. By the age of 19, he received a diploma in the history of economic and political sciences and went to the Royal Naval College. In 1979, Prince Andrew joined the Royal Navy to train as a military helicopter pilot. The prince was later accepted as a trainee on a military helicopter, signing a 12-year contract effective May 11, 1979.

Already on September 1, he received a promotion, and in 1980 he was awarded a green beret. Until 1982, the prince takes refresher courses and becomes a full-fledged pilot. He joins the 820 Naval Aviation Squadron, serving on board the aircraft carrier Invincible, in which he continues to serve.

On April 2, 1982, the so-called Falklands War began between Britain and Argentina over the disputed islands. The main role in this war was assigned to the Royal Navy and naval aviation, so the British Cabinet made every effort to return the prince from the danger zone, but Queen Elizabeth insisted on her son's desire to remain in the service and participate in the war.

After the end of the war, the Invincible returned to Portsmouth where it was received by the Queen and Prince Philip along with the families of the other crew members. In his book about that war, Commander Nigel Ward said that the Argentine government was deliberately preparing a series of assassination attempts on the prince. Andrew himself was described by the commander as "an excellent pilot and a very promising officer."

In February 1984, the prince received the rank of lieutenant, after which the queen appointed him her personal assistant-adjutant. After that, the prince commanded several units in different regions of the planet.

As for the prince's personal life, on July 23, 1986, he married Sarah Ferguson, whom he had known since childhood. At the wedding and in the first years after it, they were very happy. They had two daughters. However, the prince's constant travels associated with his military career increasingly overshadowed this marriage, which eventually ended in divorce on May 30, 1996. After the divorce, the media have repeatedly noted the very warm relationship of the former spouses.

“We managed to work together to bring happiness to our children,” Sarah Ferguson said in an interview.

In recent years, Prince Andrew has served as UK Special Trade Representative.

Since the duke has no sons, there are no heirs to the title (peerage titles, except in special cases, are inherited only through the direct male line). If Prince Andrew does not remarry and have a son, then after his death the title "Duke of York" will return to the crown and can be assigned again.

Ranks 4th in the order of succession to the British throne (after the birth of Prince Harry in 1984).

As a member of the royal family, he has his own coat of arms, based on the state coat of arms of Great Britain.