Prince Andrew
GreeceEarly Life and Education
Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, born in Athens, was the seventh child and fourth son of King George I of Greece and Queen Olga of Greece. His paternal grandmother was Queen Louise of Denmark, making him a grandson of King Christian IX of Denmark. Prince Andrew received an English education from private tutors but spoke Greek with his parents. He was also fluent in German, Danish, Russian, and French.
Military Career
Growing up in Athens, Prince Andrew attended the Military Academy and the Staff College. He also received additional instruction in military strategy from Panagiotis Danglis. Despite poor eyesight, he joined the cavalry in 1901.
In 1902, at the coronation of King Edward VII, Prince Andrew met Princess Alice of Battenberg, a great-niece of King Edward. They soon began a courtship and were married the following year on October 6, 1903, in a civil ceremony in Darmstadt.
Political turmoil escalated in Greece in 1909 when Athens refused to support the Cretan parliament's attempt to annex Crete from the Ottoman Empire. Prince Andrew resigned from the army as a nationalist Military League gained prominence, led by Eleftherios Venizelos.
World War I
Prince Andrew rejoined the army after the outbreak of the Balkan Wars, serving as a lieutenant colonel in a cavalry regiment and commanding a field hospital. During the war, his father was assassinated, and he inherited a villa on the island of Corfu.
By 1914, Prince Andrew, like many other European royals, held prestigious military positions in Germany and Russia and was a knight in Prussia, Russia, Denmark, and Italy.
During World War I, Prince Andrew made several trips to Great Britain, despite suspicions in the House of Commons that he was a German spy. While his brother, King Constantine, maintained neutrality, Venizelos' democratic government supported the Allies. In June 1917, neutrality became untenable for Constantine, and he abdicated, forcing the royal family into exile, primarily in Switzerland.
Return to Greece and Later Years
Prince Andrew's son, Alexander, reigned for three years before dying from an infected monkey bite. Constantine was restored to the throne, and Andrew re-entered the army as a major general. He commanded the Second Army Corps, participating in the Battle of the Sakarya.
Andrew's criticism of incompetent leadership led to his demotion. Refusing to accept the demotion, he disobeyed orders to attack Turkish positions on September 19, 1921. He was court-martialed, found guilty, and sentenced to exile.
In exile, Prince Andrew lived in a small house owned by his wealthy half-sister, Princess Marie Bonaparte, near Paris. He published a book, "Towards Disaster: The Greek Army in Asia Minor in 1921," in 1930, justifying his actions at the Battle of the Sakarya.
Prince Andrew's exile had a detrimental impact on his family. Princess Alice suffered a nervous breakdown and sought treatment in a Swiss clinic. His daughters married and settled in Germany, largely cutting off contact with him. His son, Philip, went to study in Great Britain.
In 1944, Prince Andrew died in France at the age of 62. His remains were initially buried near Nice and later transferred to Greece in 1946.
