HRH Prince Andrew

The Early Years

 

The Duke of York was born on 19 February 1960 at Buckingham Palace, the second son and the third child of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh.
He was the first child to be born to a reigning monarch for 103 years.
He was christened Andrew Albert Christian Edward,

 

As a young boy he had a mischievous streak and didn’t like putting away his toys or listening to the staff.  Which prompted a palace footman to punch him when he was being teased and taunted.  The footman immediately gave his resignation to Her Majesty but she refused saying “Lets hope it did him some good..”

Prince Andrew's education was conducted in three phases: initially by a governess at Buckingham Palace. When he was aged eight, Prince Andrew was sent to Heatherdown Preparatory School, Ascot. He was taught there until he was 13, when he moved on to Gordonstoun School in Morayshire, Scotland, where his father and elder brother were educated before him.

 

On completion of his 'O' levels (equivalent to GCSEs), he spent two terms in 1977 at Lakefield College School in Ontario, Canada on a Round Square exchange programme. Prince Andrew returned to Gordonstoun to study for his 'A' levels before leaving to join the Royal Navy.

 

Romantic rumor started to spread around Prince Andrew during his years spent at Gordonstoun.  At the age of sixteen he proposed to a girl he had brought to Balmoral Castle but she decided she was too young and told him so. 

 

He had a reputation of being pompous during his boyhood years earning him the nickname The Great I Am and other names that had to do with his rather large buttocks.  When told that he’d never succeed in a career if he didn’t pay attention he snorted and replied “I already have a job to go to!” He was the only boy in his family not to be appointed Head Boy his senior year.