Pity the second son in any royal family. As author Tina Brown puts it, the only certainty is that, as the years go by, his importance will decline as he slides inexorably down in the line of succession.
The Duke of York, 64, marked his birthday on February 19, but it was unclear how much celebration there was at Royal Lodge, his grand home in Windsor Great Park.
At one time, Prince Andrew had it all. Not just the Queen s favourite son, he was a naval officer and decorated war hero whose dashing looks made him one of Britain s most eligible men.