▁course . ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁Lieutenant - Comm ander ▁on ▁ 1 ▁February ▁and ▁passed ▁the ▁ship ▁command ▁exam ination ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁Prince ▁Andrew ▁commanded ▁the ▁H unt - class ▁mine h unter ▁HMS ▁C ott es more . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁the ▁Duke ▁was ▁posted ▁as ▁Senior ▁Pil ot ▁of ▁ 8 1 5 ▁Naval ▁Air ▁Squadron , ▁then ▁the ▁largest ▁flying ▁unit ▁in ▁the ▁Fle et ▁Air ▁Arm . ▁His ▁main ▁responsibility ▁was ▁to ▁super v ise ▁flying ▁standards ▁and ▁to ▁guarantee ▁an ▁effective ▁oper ational ▁cap ability . ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁Commander ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁finishing ▁his ▁active ▁naval ▁career ▁at ▁the ▁British ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Def ence ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁as ▁an ▁officer ▁of ▁the ▁Diplom atic ▁Director ate ▁of ▁the ▁Naval ▁Staff . ▁In ▁July ▁of ▁that ▁year , ▁the ▁Duke ▁of ▁York ▁was ▁retired ▁from ▁the ▁Active ▁List ▁of ▁the ▁Navy . ▁Three ▁years ▁later , ▁he ▁was ▁made ▁an ▁Honor ary ▁Captain , ▁rather ▁than ▁the ▁substant ive ▁rank ▁of ▁Captain , ▁as ▁would ▁be ▁custom ary . ▁On ▁ 1 9 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁his ▁ 5 0 th ▁birth day , ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁R ear ▁Admir al . ▁Five ▁years ▁later ,