HRH Prince Andrew

Sports, Interest & Activities

 

The Duke of York has always enjoyed sport. He swam from an early age and played most ball sports.

 

At his preparatory school, Heatherdown, he played cricket, rugby and soccer earning his cricket colours and representing the school at rugby and cricket. At Gordonstoun he continued to play cricket and rugby as well as field hockey.

 

At Lakefield College School in Canada, he skied for the school. He captained the Gordonstoun 1st cricket team in his last year.

Prince Andrew continued to play hockey briefly for BRNC Dartmouth and he played squash for various ships' teams.

Whilst at Gordonstoun, His Royal Highness began his passion for flying by learning to fly a glider with the Air Training Corps and also, along with Prince Charles, learnt to parachute, earning his Parachutist's badge from the Royal Air Force prior to joining the Royal Navy.

 

The Duke has in recent years taken up golf, with a current handicap of five. His Royal Highness is now working on behalf of the game to ensure that as many can participate and play as possible.

 

He is Patron of The Golf Foundation, which aims to give people the opportunity to start playing golf. He is President of the Faldo Junior Series, a competition amongst junior golfers around the country, culminating in a final at a prestigious golf course. He has his own Tournament for Junior Champions, encouraging young players in the game.

On the administration side, he is a member of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and sits on its Amateur Status Committee. He was Captain of the Club in its 250th anniversary season of 2003/4. He maintains close links with the professional game through the Professional Golfers Association and the PGA European Tour.

As well as being Patron of a number of Royal Golf Clubs he is an honorary member of many others.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

 

ACTIVITIES AND INTERESTS

 

The Duke of York is patron of, or associated with, more than 100 diverse organisations. His profession as a pilot and his career in the Royal Navy have been instrumental in his patronage interests.

 

These include the appointment as the Commodore of the Royal Thames Yacht Club (1986), President of the Royal Aero Club of Great Britain (1982), Trustee of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich (1995), and Patron of the Tall Ships Youth Trust (2005).

His professional concern for his senses has led to him taking on the patronage of the Fight For Sight (1989), Defeating Deafness (1986), the British Deaf Association (1997)and the Commonwealth Society for the Deaf (1997), as well as the Jubilee Sailing Trust (1984).

 

In recent years the Duke has widened his range of interests, reflecting his concern for young people and for the promotion of the United Kingdom.

These include becoming Chairman of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children's campaign to end child cruelty (1999) - The Full Stop Campaign - and becoming president of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, ranging from The Treasure houses of Britain to London and Chester Zoos and from the four leading Cathedrals and Westminster Abbey to The Tussauds Group and the national museums.

The Duke maintains personal interests in the arts and performing arts and in 2001 was invited to take on the patronage of the English National Ballet, whose previous Patron was the Princess of Wales. He maintains his keen interest in photography and published a book of his photographs in 1985. He has been Patron of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra since 2003.

 

As well as these patronages, the Duke has other roles in education, including work with businessdynamics(1998) - an educational charity that aims to improve the business skills of secondary school pupils.

He is the Visitor at Royal Hospital School Holbrook (1992), the school that was housed in what is now the National Maritime Museum and he is the Patron of the Greenwich Hospital (1994), which owns the whole of the Greenwich buildings that were the Royal Naval College, The Dreadnought Hospital and the National Maritime Museum. The Duke also maintains very close links with his own educational establishments as Patron of Round Square (1990) and Trustee of Lakefield College School (1978).

 

Most recently, and the organisation to which the Duke devotes most time, is The Outward Bound Trust (1998). He became the Chairman of Trustees in succession to The Duke of Edinburgh in 1999. Outward Bound aims to inspire young people to fulfil their potential through challenging outdoor activities and to instil qualities of leadership in young people so that the challenges they will face in everyday life are not insurmountable. It has four residential centres in the UK alone.

In 2004 His Royal Highness carried out some 581 engagements in the UK and overseas.

 

THE DUKE OF YORK'S ROLE WITH UK TRADE & INVESTMENT

 

After leaving the Royal Navy in 2001, The Duke of York took up a new role as the UK's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment.

In this role The Duke of York undertakes a wide range of official activities, including encouraging British companies to become involved in international trade, selling British goods and services overseas, and the attraction and retention of inward investment to protect British jobs.

The Duke is not paid for his trade and investment work. His Royal Highness continues his Royal duties in support of Her Majesty The Queen, his work with the numerous organisations of which he is Patron, and the charities he supports, including Outward Bound.

 

The Duke's trade and investment role began on 1 October 2001, following a familiarisation programme which involved meetings with business leaders throughout the UK and briefings on the role and work of UK Trade & Investment.

 

Since then, His Royal Highness has carried out a busy programme of visits. The Duke of York now undertakes 250 trade and investment-related engagements annually within the UK, and at least five overseas trade-related visits each year.