7 Lesser-Known Facts About Prince Andrew

1. The First Child Born to a Reigning British Monarch in Over a Century

When Andrew was born in February 1960, he made royal history: he was the first child born to a reigning British monarch since Queen Victoria gave birth to Princess Beatrice in 1857. For the first 22 years of his life, he stood second in the line of succession to the throne, right behind Prince Charles.

2. A Prized Collection of 70+ Teddy Bears

Palace insiders and staff revealed that Andrew maintained an extensive collection of over 70 stuffed teddy bears gathered throughout his naval travels. Royal household staff were reportedly given detailed training diagrams specifying the exact layout where each bear had to sit on his bed during the day and evening.

3. Active Combat and Flying as a Missile Decoy in the Falklands War

Unlike purely ceremonial military postings, Andrew flew front-line combat helicopter missions aboard HMS Invincible during the 1982 Falklands War. During anti-ship missile attacks, his helicopter crew was deployed to hover in positions aimed at acting as a radar decoy against incoming Exocet missiles.

4. Rappelling Down Western Europe’s Tallest Skyscraper

In September 2012, at the age of 52, Andrew participated in a high-profile charity challenge for the Outward Bound Trust. He successfully abseiled (rappelled) down the outside of The Shard in London from the 87th floor—descending roughly 785 feet.

5. Decades of Sharing a Home With His Ex-Wife

Despite divorcing Sarah Ferguson in 1996, the two maintained an unusually close co-parenting relationship and continued to live together at the Royal Lodge on the Windsor Great Park estate for decades.

6. The 1980s Romance That Challenged Palace Protocol

Before his marriage to Sarah Ferguson, Andrew’s most prominent long-term relationship was with American photographer and actress Koo Stark. The romance caused intense media frenzies in the early 1980s until intense royal and press pressure prompted their separation in 1983.

7. Stripped of Royal Titles and Patronages

Following public outcry and legal fallout surrounding his ties to convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein, Andrew stepped back from public duties in 2019 and formally surrendered his military affiliations, royal patronages, and official use of royal titles.