Prince Andrew’s immediate family
Prince Andrew, Duke of York, is the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Born 19 February 1960, he is younger only to King Charles III (born 1948) and Anne, Princess Royal (born 1950). He is elder to Prince Edward, born 1964. These four are the only children of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Andrew married Sarah Ferguson in 1986; they share two daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie. The table below summarises these core family links and birth years.
| Relation | Name | Birth year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Father | Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh | 1921 | Died 2021 |
| Mother | Queen Elizabeth II | 1926 | Died 2022 |
| Elder brother | King Charles III | 1948 | UK monarch |
| Elder sister | Anne, Princess Royal | 1950 | Only sister |
| Younger brother | Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh | 1964 | Youngest sibling |
| Spouse | Sarah Ferguson | 1959 | Married 1986; divorced 1996; remarried 2022 in registry ceremony |
| Daughter | Princess Beatrice | 1988 | Eldest child of Andrew and Sarah |
| Daughter | Princess Eugenie | 1990 | Younger child of Andrew and Sarah |
Position within the British royal family
As the Queen’s second son, Andrew held a senior working role for decades, carrying out public engagements and international trade missions under the banner of Her Majesty’s Government. After stepping back from public duties and losing royal funding and military affiliations following a series of controversies, he remains a member of the royal family by birth. His daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, are in the line of succession, though well behind their cousins. Understanding this context helps explain how Andrew’s relationships are both familial and institutional.
Extended relatives and in-laws
Siblings and their families
Andrew is close to some siblings and distant from others. He shares a strong public and private bond with Princess Anne, with whom he grew up at Kensington Palace and Sandringham. His relationship with King Charles has seen periods of closeness and documented strain over the years. He is significantly younger than Edward, with whom he shares fewer public engagements. All three of his siblings have children who form Andrew’s extended family, including numerous cousins for his own daughters.
- King Charles III: elder brother; UK monarch; close during upbringing, more distant in recent years.
- Anne, Princess Royal: elder sister; frequent collaborator on charity work; shared childhood at Kensington Palace.
- Prince Edward: younger brother; professional separation after Edward’s marriage and career choices; both focus on private family life.
Spouse and in-laws
Sarah Ferguson, Andrew’s wife since their 2022 registry ceremony, brings her own set of children from her first marriage, extending Andrew’s in-law network. Her former spouse, Marc Sutherland, and their two sons are part of his extended circle. Sarah’s parents, Major Ronald Ferguson and Susan Barrantes, were central figures in her early life. Recognising these connections is essential to mapping the wider familial ties that intersect with Andrew’s public and private life.
Parents and childhood context
Andrew’s upbringing was steeped in royal routine, governed by the schedules and expectations of the monarchy. His mother’s accession in 1952 transformed the family’s trajectory; he grew up in the public eye at Buckingham Palace and later at Royal Lodge. His father, Prince Philip, played a hands-on, sometimes unconventional mentoring role. Their influence shaped Andrew’s early values and approach to public service, creating a foundation that later defined his military training and royal duties.
Grandparents and direct lineage
On his father’s side, Andrew is the grandson of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born 1921), whose own background blended Greek and Danish royal houses. On his mother’s side, he descends from King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, placing him firmly within the Windsor line. These grandparents represent the longer arc of 20th-century European monarchy that fed into the modern institution Andrew was born into. Though many of these figures are no longer living, their legacies inform the institutional context of his family today.
Cousins and the next generation
Andrew’s nieces and nephews include Peter Phillips, Zara Tindemans, Savannah and Isla Phillips (daughter and son of Anne), and the children of Edward and Sophie. On the senior side, he is first cousin to William and Harry, placing them in an influential bracket of the extended family. His daughters Beatrice and Eugenie are therefore second cousins to William’s children, adding another layer to the family’s intertwined public and private spheres. These relationships are more than genealogical curiosities; they shape invitations, roles, and responsibilities within royal events and Commonwealth gatherings.
Summary of key relationships
Prince Andrew’s family tree is rooted in the postwar monarchy, branching through Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. His core relationships include his parents (now deceased), his four siblings, his former and current spouse Sarah Ferguson, their two daughters, and his wider in-laws and cousins. These connections anchor both his personal history and the evolving story of the royal family in the 21st century.