Andrew: More than Meets the Eye

The last few years we haven’t heard much about Prince Andrew. He has always seemed to me to be a simple man who enjoys the simple pleasures in life – a good sense of humor, his family and his daily routine in the Royal Navy. When things in his marriage got ugly he was criticized for being a wuss who didn’t stand up for himself, but I saw him as a man who had the dignity not to divulge the intimate details of his private life. I actually admired him for not writing a book or telling the world how a screwed up childhood or living in a fish bowl or the palace machine had destroyed his life. In the eye of the storm Andrew appeared to display the dignity befitting the son of the Queen of England.

Actually, I’ve adored him since I was a child and, admittedly, was quite excited to find the astrological software that I purchased for my first computer deemed me to be his perfect soul mate. A fact that, at the time, would make me daydream, ‘What if…’ Of course seeing all that being a member of the Royal Family involves I quickly decided I’d never chance meeting my perfect soul mate because the tabloids would crucify me and possibly run a campaign to send me back to the States. I imagined them using a modified version of a rhyme my mother used to recite to me - ‘There was an American girl, who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead and when she was good she was very, very good and when she was bad she was deported’. Even in the daydreams, he remained the strong silent type. Perfect for a woman who has been accused of being vaccinated with a phonograph needle!

Well, what’s the point of sharing all this? It is my dismay at seeing Andrew vilified recently in the press. Headlines like, "Still Randy After All These Years" from the New York Daily News, "Andy’s no druggie" from MegaStar, "What Do You Expect When He’s Too Dull And Too Rich" from the Sunday Mirror, "A Year In The Life Of Parasite Prince" from the Sunday People or my personal favorite "Royals hit by tabloid winter of discontent" from Yahoo! News Reuters. All this is hullabaloo is due to Andrew’s recent lifestyle which includes a visit to the States in which he enjoyed some of Manhattan’s night life and stopped by Courtney Love’s place for a cuppa, his recent personal holiday to Thailand and the bevy of beauties he has been seen escorting here and there. It has even caused Ingrid Seward to declare he is suffering a mid-life crisis. It has caused a princely spokesman to reiterate, ‘He does not drink and does not make up for it in other ways.’ – referring to the evening he spent in the company of some known druggies.

What do I make of all this? When I look at Prince Andrew I see a man who has spent the first 40 years of his life in a comfortable niche inside his ‘colorful’ family; a man who has managed to not draw too much attention to himself. I see a man who hasn’t found his true passion in life and may finally be giving himself the opportunity to look for it now that he has announced his retirement from the Navy he joined in 1979. Twenty years would a career make for any other naval recruit and his bravery during the Falklands War is certainly something that not all military personnel can claim. As he weans himself from his naval career and searches for something worthwhile in the civilian world, we have recently seen him take up the cause of children – our future. The close bond he has managed to forge with his own children seems to be the catalyst for his interest in the welfare of all children. Speaking of family, he has quietly stood by his former wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, as she has ‘reinvented’ herself and even shares an unorthodox relationship with her by living under the same roof for the sake of their daughters. Their family unit is one that has been scrutinized by the curious and silently, stubbornly defended by the Prince.

How do I feel about his headline activities? I’m not pleased that his daughters are exposed to photographs and headlines that depict their father as a decadent man. There I do feel he is behaving irresponsibly and probably is deserving of some of the heat he is taking for his actions. I’m not pleased, as I believe it is undermining the good things he has and continues to accomplish. It would make me happier to see some more news about his newly announced role as a trade envoy for Britain. I’d like to see coverage of his military career, more publicity for his community service work and I’d like to see him successfully negotiate the construction of the golf course that he has such a keen interest in creating. These are the legacies that I believe will be the mark of Prince Andrew, Duke of York.

As far as finding suitable people to ‘hang with’, that is a challenge for a man in his position. If he didn’t date he’d be suspect. If he does date, he and his date are front-page news. If he befriends Hollywood types, he risks gossip, yadda, yadda, yadda. (More evidence of why I believe the Royal Family adores their animals.)

What about his post-military life? This will be a challenge because he has for over twenty years lived a life where his days were planned out for him, where routine reigned supreme. It will be difficult to adjust to planning each day and I’m sure it will take some time to perfect living outside of the navy. What might work out best is if he chooses an area of interest that is not currently a passion and builds slowly on his knowledge in the area. I’m thinking continuing on the line of children. There are many areas for him to pursue from ‘headstart’ type of programs, to parenting education, to abuse issues, religious education (his Mother is head of the Church of England), to physical education programs, Boy Scouts, 4H, etc. Being a little involved in a variety of areas would provide him with the big picture of what’s good and what needs improvement. This knowledge would assist him in being able to make across the board contributions or it might be enough to generate a passion in one particular area where he could make a noticeable difference. And what if he never makes a huge difference in any one area? Can devoting 20 years of your life to a worthy cause like being a children’s advocate ever be seen as less than commendable?

Personally, I like to think that what we have seen so far of Prince Andrew is the tip of the iceberg. That there is much more to this man than meets the eye. What if I’m wrong? Well, they say his great-grandfather, George V, wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but his devotion to what he believed his family represented and his love for all things British endeared him to his subjects. It wasn’t an instant bond, but it became a strong one as he held steadfast to these beliefs throughout his life showing his subjects that he was loyal and deserving of their respect. This could be Andrew’s legacy as well.

Saturday at 12:06 a.m. and 1:04 a.m. my sister and brother-in-law became the parent’s of twin daughters – Carys and Claire who join their two older sisters. It has been a hectic time, but one of great joy. Please forgive me for not answering my email promptly, but I hope you’ll understand that as important as it is, it took second place to this blessed event. I’ll be looking forward to hearing from and responding to you this week.

I’m very sorry to read about all Princess Margaret has been suffering with her reported strokes throughout the holidays. The BBC has reported that she has entered the hospital today. This week I’ll be thinking about writing part two of Margaret’s life.

All the best,