Virtual London - The best place to see London online

Full name: Andrew Albert Christian Edward Mountbatten-Windsor

Full Title: HRH The Duke of York

Born: Buckingham Palace, February 19 1960, third child of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh (the first child to be born to a reigning monarch for 103 years).

Education: Initially at home, then at Heatherdown Preparatory School, Ascot, and Gordonstoun, Scotland.

Marriage and family: Married Sarah Ferguson in Westminster Abbey on July 23 1986. The couple were divorced in May 1996.

They had two children - Beatrice Elizabeth Mary (b. August 8 1988) and Eugenie Victoria Helena (b. March 23 1990), who are fifth and sixth in line to the throne.

Official roles: The Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh; Patron of, or associated with, more than 100 organisations including the British Deaf Association and the Royal Commonwealth Society for the Deaf, Fight For Sight, the Jubilee Sailing Trust and the Royal Aero Club.

Patron of Understanding Industry (an educational charity); Patron of The City Ballet of London; Patron of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions; Trustee of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, and Patron of Greenwich College; sits on the Advisory Board of Governors of Lakefield College School in Canada.

Admiral of the Sea Cadet Corps; Colonel in Chief of the Staffordshire Regiment; Colonel in Chief of the Royal Irish Regiment; Colonel in Chief of the Royal New Zealand Logistic Regiment; Air Commodore of RAF Lossiemouth, Morayshire; Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.

The young Prince Andrew enjoyed sport, especially ball sports. At Gordonstoun he played cricket, rugby and field hockey, captaining the school 1st cricket XI in his last year. He now plays squash, skis and plays golf off a handicap of 7.

He learnt to fly a glider with the Air Training Corps at Gordonstoun and earned his Parachutist's badge from the Royal Air Force.

Since school, Prince Andrew has dedicated himself to a career in the Royal Navy. He joined in 1979 on a short service commission, as a Seaman Officer specialising as a pilot. He underwent initial training at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, at the same time as taking the Royal Marines Green Beret course at the Commando Training Centre, Lympstone.

After Dartmouth, Prince Andrew learnt to fly the Bulldog aircraft with the Royal Air Force at RAF Leeming, Yorkshire, before basic flying training with the Royal Navy at RNAS Culdrose, Cornwall, where he learnt to fly helicopters. He received his Wings from The Duke of Edinburgh in April 1981, as well as winning the award for the best pilot. After operational flying training, he joined 820 Naval Air Squadron in the Anti-Submarine Warfare Carrier HMS Invincible.

Just six months later Prince Andrew saw active service as part of the Task Force that sailed to the South Atlantic to regain the Falkland Islands from an Argentinian invasion force. He flew various missions including ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) and ASUW (Anti-Surface Warfare search). He also helped in casualty evacuation, transport and SAR (Search and Air Rescue).

Prince Andrew was appointed to 702 NAS at RNAS Portland and was promoted to Lieutenant in February 1984. He then joined 815 NAS as Flight Pilot in the frigate HMS Brazen where he served until March 1986. The Lieutenant's Greenwich Course and Helicopter Warfare Instructors (HWI) Course followed and he returned to 702 NAS early in 1987 as an HWI. In May 1988, having been selected for transfer to the General List for officers, he joined the Type 42 Destroyer HMS Edinburgh as an Officer of the Watch to earn his Watchkeeping and Ocean Navigation Certificate. He later returned to RNAS Portland to form HMS Campbeltown Flight. He joined 829 NAS in September 1989 and served as Flight Commander until the autumn of 1991.

The Duke of York was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and took command the Hunt Class Minehunter HMS Cottesmore from April 1993 until November 1994, before returning to flying as Senior Pilot with 815 NAS at RNAS Portland.

The Duke of York joined the Ministry of Defence, London, in January 1997 as a staff officer in the Directorate of Naval Operations. In January 1999, the Ministry announced that he was to be promoted to Commander and take up an appointment within the Diplomacy Section of the Naval Staff, based in London. The Diplomacy Section is responsible for international relations for the Royal Navy.

Outside the Navy, one of the Duke of York's big charity roles was to launch the year-long National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children's £250 million Full Stop campaign and appeal.

Since he left the Navy he undertakes a range of royal duties and acts as a roving Ambassador to represent British interests abroad.