Never-before-seen photos have emerged to show the hilarious moment Prince Andrew was mercilessly ridiculed as part of a Royal Naval initiation 36 years ago.
The young officer was made to take part in a Crossing the Line ceremony to mark the first time he passed the equator as a seaman in 1982.
The ritual involved a crew member of HMS Invincible dressing up as Neptune – the God of the sea – to hold a court where novice sailors are put on trial for their sins. They then receive their ‘punishment’ of being shaved with a pink foam.
Photos have emerged of Prince Andrew’s ‘crossing the line’ initiation ceremony in the Royal Navy, which took place the first time he passed the equator as a seaman in 1982
Andrew, dressed in a novelty crown, was sat on a thrown like chair and brought before a staged up court on the deck of the HMS Invincible
Failure sailors, dressed as old-fashioned police officers, bundled him into his chair before Nepture, God of the sea, tried him
At the end of the initiation ceremony, he was gunged, to the glee of sailors looking on
In a nod to Prince Andrew’s Royal background, the photos show him sat down on makeshift throne with a cardboard crown placed on his head.
A sailor dressed as a ‘barber’ is seen approaching the then second-in-line to the throne with a very large meat clever covered in imitation blood.
The 22-year-old Royal offers his neck towards the deadly instrument while the crew look in in amusement.
Another snap shows the Duke of York roaring in laughter during the ritual that took place while HMS Invincible sailed home from the Falklands War.
They make up a series of photos sent from the crew of the aircraft carrier to a brother and sister who wrote to them for autographs.
The crew not only sent back a filled-in autograph book, with the Royal signing his name Andrew HRH, but also photographs of life on board including the initiation ceremony. They were sent by Lieutenant Commander Brian Prendergast.
The images show Andrew being carried into the ‘court’ before his ‘trial’ before Neptune began
The photos, taken on the aircraft carrier’s deck after the Falklands, show the arrival of Neptune
Another sailor dressed as Neptune oversaw the ceremony before the Prince was ‘shaved’
Andrew was brought before the court by sailors dressed in old-fashioned police uniforms
The pictures, which include one of Andrew being interviewed for Forces Radio, were taken by another crew member on board the warship and sent to two autograph-hunting children
The images have now been put up for sale through Bosleys Auctioneers of Marlow, Bucks.
Bernard Pass, of Bosleys, said: ‘A couple of kids sent off this little autograph book to HMS Invincible for the crew to sign.
‘But they didn’t just get the book sent back, they also got these photographs and a lovely covering letter from the commander of the aircraft carrier.
‘They are all unpublished photographs taken by crew members rather than an official photographer. There are very amusing photos showing Prince Andrew Crossing the Line ceremony.
‘One snap that raises an eyebrow shows a man dressed as a barber holding an enormous meat clever and shaving brush but it looks like he is about to cut off the head of the then second-in-line to the throne.’
Other pictures in the gallery include Andrew in uniform being interviewed, shots of the deck of the ship and one of a Chinook helicopter lifting Sea Harrier jet.
During the Falklands War, Prince Andrew risked his life by acting as a decoy to lure Argentine Exocet missiles away from HMS Invincible.
He flew a Navy helicopter behind the aircraft carrier to make the missiles swerve towards the helicopter instead of the ship. He also flew on anti-submarine missions and search and rescue operations.
The archive is tipped to sell for £200 at Bosleys on July 4.