Figure 1.-

Prince Andrew was reportedly the most Greek of all George I's children. He was the only one who felt most comfortable speaking Greek. As a child he spent some time on an isolated island where he was tutored by a military governor. The Prince was raised to be an officer in the Greek Army. He attended was enrolled in the Athens Miliatry Academy at age 14. The Academy was staffed with German officers. He was also tutored by an Army Major and subjected to a strict rergime beginning with a cold bath at 6:00 am every morning. As a result after a demanding 3-day exam, he was in 1901 commissioned a major in the calvary. [Heald, Philip, pp. 18-19.] Prince Andrew married Princess Alice of Battenberg (1885-1969). She was the eldest daughter of Admiral Prince Louis of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse, a grand daugter of Queen Victoria. The Princess was only 18 years old when they mairred and described by some as the "prettiest princess in Europe". The couple returned to Greece. The couple had five children, four boys and a girl. Prince Andrew continued his career in the calvary. He trained peasant recruits at a garison town near the Turkish Frontier. Revolutionay officers in 1909 demanded that the King's sons be prohibited from holding Army commissions. To help his father deal with the situation, Andrew and his brothers resigned their commissions. Only with war broke out with the Turks was Andrew reinstated with the Army. Victory over the turks brought command of the 3rd Calvary until 1916 when his brother who had after their father's assasinaton become King Constantine I. The Allies helped engineer the removal of King Constantine ho wanted to keep Greece out of World War I. Prince Andrew was exiled from Greece until his brother was reinstated by plebecite after the War in 1920. Prince Andrew joined the Army as a Major General. The campaign was a disaster and the Prince quarled with his commander. The military overthrew King Constantine and on November 28, 1922 six supporters were shot. It is likely that Prince Andrew himself would have been shot, had his wife not appealed for help. Her younger brother Prince Louis gained an audience with George V. The result was that the Prince and his family, who were on Corfu, were spirited to saftey on a British naval ship. Their son Prince Philip married Britain's future Queen Elzabeth. The second exile from Greece appears to have affected Andrew psycholically. He had very little to do with Philip after the evacuation. Prince Andrew died during World war II (1944).

Parents

Prince Andrew was the youngest son of King George I of Greece. His mother was Russian Grand Duchess Olga (1851-1926). King Geoege met her during a trip to Russia to visit his sister Dagmar who had married Tsar Alexander III and was the Tsarina. The Grandduchess was the eldest daughter of the Grand Duke Coastantine Nicolaievitch and a Grand-daughter of Tsar Nicholas I. George fell in love at once and insisted on mairring her. She was only 16 years old when they married in St. Perersburg.

Childhood

Prince Andrew was reportedly the most Greek of all George I's children. He was the only one who felt most comfortable speaking Greek.

Childhood Clothing

Education

As a child he spent some time on an isolated island where he was tutored by a military governor. The Prince was raised to be an officer in the Greek Army. He attended was enrolled in the Athens Miliatry Academy at age 14. The Academy was staffed with German officers. He was also tutored by an Army Major and subjected to a strict rergime beginning with a cold bath at 6:00 am every morning. As a result after a demanding 3-day exam, he was in 1901 commissioned a major in the calvary. [Heald, Philip, pp. 18-19.]

Marriage

Prince Andrew married Princess Alice of Battenberg (1885-1969). She was the eldest daughter of Admiral Prince Louis of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse, a grand daugter of Queen Victoria. The Princess was only 18 years old when they mairred and described by some as the "prettiest princess in Europe". The couple returned to Greece.

Children

The couple had five children, four girls and one boy. Most of their children like themselves are largely lost to public attention. There was, however, one exception--Prince Philip. Prince Andrew and Princess Allice played a major role in raising the girls who all married Germans. Prince Philip was, however, younger than his sisters and after the family had to flee Greece,largely abandoned by his partents. Many of his early yeatrs were spent in Germany. Many royals were attracted by the NAZIs. Prince Philip from an early age, however, wanted notyhing to do with them. After the War, none of Philip's sisters were invited to the wedding because of their husbands' NAZI ties.

Military Career

Prince Andrew continued his career in the calvary. He trained peasant recruits at a garison town near the Turkish Frontier. Revolutionay officers in 1909 demanded that the King's sons be prohibited from holding Army commissions. To help his father deal with the situation, Andrew and his brothers resigned their commissions. Only with war broke out with the Turks was Andrew reinstated with the Army. Victory over the Turks brought command of the 3rd Calvary until 1916 when his brother who had after their father's assasinaton become King Constantine I.

World War I

The Allies helped engineer the removal of King Constantine ho wanted to keep Greece out of World War I. Prince Andrew was exiled from Greece until his brother was reinstated by plebecite after the War in 1920.

Second Exile

Prince Andrew joined the Army as a Major General. The campaign was a disaster and the Prince quarled with his commander. The military overthrew King Constantine and on November 28, 1922 six supporters were shot. It is likely that Prince Andrew himself would have been shot, had his wife not appealed for help. Her younger brother Prince Louis gained an audience with George V. The result was that the Prince and his family, who were on Corfu, were spirited to saftey on a British naval ship. Their son Prince Philip married Britain's future Queen Elzabeth.

Later Years

The second exile from Greece appears to have affected Andrew psycholically. He had very little to do with Philip after the evacuation. Prince Andrew died during World war II (1944).

Sources

Heald, Tim. Philip: A Portrait of the Duke of Edinburgh (William Morrow and Company, Inc.: New York, 1991).

Created: 9:16 PM 12/9/2004
Last updated: 9:16 PM 12/9/2004