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Andrew Mountbatten Windsor

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Andrew Mountbatten Windsor
Mountbatten Windsor in 2013
Born
Andrew Albert Christian Edward Mountbatten Windsor

(1960-02-19) 19 February 1960 (age 65)
Buckingham Palace, London, England
Known forDuke of York (1986–2025)
TitleFormal Prince Andrew
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1986; div. 1996)​
Children
Parents
RelativesCharles III (brother)
FamilyWindsor
Military career
Allegiance United Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
Years of active service1979–2001
RankVice admiral
Battles / warsFalklands War
Signature

Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward Mountbatten Windsor (born 19 February 1960), formerly known as Prince Andrew, Duke of York, is a younger brother of Charles III, the Head of the Commonwealth. Although he has no royal status, Mountbatten Windsor was eighth in line of succession to the British throne, as the second son of Elizabeth II. now Duke of Windsor


Mountbatten Windsor was the Duke of York from 1986 to 2025. In that role, he undertook official duties and engagements on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II. He served as the Special Representative for International Trade and Investment for ten years until July 2011. He resigned from his royal duties in November 2019.[1][2][3]

Under increased scrutiny in 2025, Mountbatten Windsor agreed to stop using his titles.[4] On 17 October 2025, he publicly announced that he would no longer use his peerage titles.[5]

On 30 October 2025, Buckingham Palace announced that "His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew will now be known only as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor".[6][7] Mountbatten Windsor's profile was removed from the royal website.[8]

Early life

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Mountbatten Windsor was born at Buckingham Palace in London. He went to Heatherdown Preparatory School in Berkshire, and Gordonstoun in Scotland.[source?]

Military career

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Mountbatten Windsor did not go to university. He went to the Britannia Royal Naval College instead. In the Navy, he served in the Falklands War, despite controversy in Parliament due to the possibility of the Queen's son losing his life. He became a commander in 1999 and an honorary captain in 2001.[source?]

Marriage and children

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In 1986, Mountbatten Windsor married Sarah Ferguson, the younger daughter of Ronald Ferguson, the polo manager for the Prince of Wales. They have two daughters from the marriage: Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Mountbatten Windsor and his wife separated in 1992, and divorced in May 1996. Their marriage, separation, and divorce attracted extensive media coverage.[source?]

Controversy

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Mountbatten Windsor was accused of child sexual abuse by Virginia Giuffre who alleged that, at the age of 17, she was sex-trafficked to him by financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.[9] Mountbatten Windsor categorically denied the allegation.[10]

On 16 November 2019, Mountbatten Windsor was interviewed for the BBC television programme Newsnight. The interviewer talked about Mountbatten Windsor's friendship with the convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who he had met through Ghislaine Maxwell.[11] The interview was very bad for the British royal family, because many people who saw the interview thought Mountbatten Windsor was unsympathetic to Epstein's victims.[12][13]

Due to the sexual abuse allegations, Mountbatten Windsor resigned from public roles in 2020. He was the defendant in a sexual assault lawsuit raised by Giuffre in 2022, which he settled out of court in February.[14]

Titles, styles, honours and arms

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In 2022, Mountbatten Windsor gave back his honorary military titles and royal patronages.[15] On October 17, 2025, he said he will stop using his peerage titles of Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, and Baron Killyleagh, and his honours, including his knighthoods as a Royal Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter and a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. This happened after having talks with King Charles.[16][17]

Titles and styles

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Royal monogram
  • 19 February 1960 – 23 July 1986, 17 October 2025 – October 2025: His Royal Highness The Prince Andrew
  • 23 July 1986 – 17 October 2025: His Royal Highness The Duke of York
    • In Scotland: His Royal Highness The Earl of Inverness
    • In Northern Ireland: Baron of Killyleagh

Ranks in the military

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Appointments

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He had military appointments:

Honorary military appointments

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In Canada he holds the following military appointments:

An earlier[28] appointment was Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada.

In New Zealand he had military appointments:

In the UK he had military appointments:

Andrew's coat of arms.

The Duke's personal coat of arms are those of the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom with a label for difference: Quarterly (by quarters):

1st and 4th, Gules three Lions passant guardant in pale Or (England). (The first and fourth quarters display the three lions, representing England.)
2nd quarter is of a lion rampant within a Double Tressure floury counterflory Gules (Scotland). (The second quarter, displays a red lion in a yellow field with a double border coloured red, this represents Scotland.)
3rd, Azure a Harp Or stringed Argent (Ireland). (The third quarter shows a harp against a blue background, this represents Ireland.)

The whole differenced by a Label of three points Argent the central point charged with an Anchor Azure. The anchor is in reference to his naval career.

The arms are identical to those his grandfather George VI used when still Duke of York.

Other information

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He rents the property Royal Lodge (as of 2025), and he lives there.[29] However, he has been told by authorities that his lease of the property has ended, according to media (October 2025).[30] Media claims that he will probably move to a property that is privately-owned by King Charles.

Scottish National Party MP Stephen Flynn argued (2025) that Mountbatten Windsor should be stripped of his titles.[4]

References

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  1. ↑ "Prince Andrew stepping back from royal duties". BBC News. 20 November 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  2. ↑ Landler, Mark (2 December 2019). "Prince Andrew's Accuser Takes Her Case to the BBC". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  3. ↑ Quinn, Ben (20 November 2019). "Prince Andrew to step back from public duties 'for foreseeable future'". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  4. 1 2 Press, The Associated (2025-10-20). "U.K. royals and government face pressure to formally strip Prince Andrew of his titles". CTVNews. Retrieved 2025-10-20.
  5. ↑ Davies, Caroline (17 October 2025). "Prince Andrew gives up royal titles including Duke of York after 'discussion with king'". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  6. ↑ Comerford, Ruth (31 October 2025). "How will Andrew's titles be removed and what happens next?". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  7. ↑ Wylie, Catherine (31 October 2025). "Andrew Mountbatten Windsor: What is the history of the former duke's new name?". The Standard.
  8. ↑ Longmire, Becca (31 October 2025). "Prince Andrew's name erased from official royal list after he's stripped of all titles". People. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  9. ↑ "What are the allegations against Prince Andrew?". The Sun. 2022-02-15. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
  10. ↑ "Prince Andrew again denies having sex with Epstein victim". AP NEWS. 2021-04-20. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
  11. ↑ "As it happened: Prince Andrew's Interview". BBC News. 16 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  12. ↑ Adam, Karla (17 November 2019). "Prince Andrew's Epstein interview roundly panned: 'nuclear explosion level bad'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  13. ↑ Lewis, Aimee (17 November 2019). "Prince Andrew sparks near-universal condemnation with TV interview". CNN. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  14. ↑ "Prince Andrew settles US civil sex assault case with Virginia Giuffre". BBC News. 2022-02-15. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
  15. ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-59987935. Retrieved 13 January 2022
  16. ↑ "BBC News live coverage: Prince Andrew relinquishes titles". BBC News. 17 October 2025. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  17. ↑ "A statement by Prince Andrew". Royal.uk. The Royal Household. 17 October 2025. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  18. ↑ "No. 56951". The London Gazette. 2 June 2003. p. 6753.
  19. ↑ "No. 59705". The London Gazette. 21 February 2011. p. 3089.
  20. ↑ "Honours of the Crown". Archived from the original on 2007-12-21. Retrieved 2008-09-28.
  21. ↑ "The Duke of York – Naval Career". The Duke of York official website. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  22. ↑ "No. 56295". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 7 August 2001. p. 9327.
  23. ↑ "No. 57705". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 19 July 2005. p. 9323.
  24. ↑ "No. 59341". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 23 February 2010. p. 3085.
  25. ↑ "Prince Andrew loses military titles and patronages". BBC News. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  26. ↑ "No. 61160". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 3 March 2015. p. 3798.
  27. ↑ "Honours and Decorations". The Duke of York. 26 October 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  28. 1 2 3 4 "Prince Andrew loses military titles and use of HRH". BBC News. 13 January 2022.
  29. ↑ https://www.vg.no/rampelys/i/1Mg7pK/prins-andrew-har-ikke-betalt-husleie-paa-royal-lodge-siden-2003. Retrieved 2025-10-21
  30. ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62elnjnqqxo?utm_source=sdrn%3Avg%3Aarticle%3A3Mlned. Retrieved 2025-10-31
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor
Born: 19 February 1960
Lines of succession
Preceded by
Princess Lilibet of Sussex		 Succession to the British throne
8th in line		 Followed by
Princess Beatrice
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