Prince Andrew, Duke of York, credits his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, for keeping their two children grounded despite growing up with all the trappings of royalty.

“She's the one that delivered what I would describe as that grounding and that down-to-earth attitude in the girls,” His Royal Highness told TODAY co-host Meredith Vieira during a rare and wide-ranging interview inside Buckingham Palace in London.

“She's been through marriage to a member of the royal family. And she's seen both ends. So she knows something that I could never experience, because she's come into it and gone out of it,” Prince Andrew said. “Now, that experience is probably more valuable to the girls in their grounding than anything that I can give them.”

Prince Andrew, who turns 48 next month, is the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He has held the title of Duke of York since 1986.

Because he has no male heirs, Prince Andrew is fourth in line of succession to the British throne behind Charles, Prince of Wales, and his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. Prince Andrew spoke proudly of the princes’ involvement with the British military.

“Those two young men are outstanding young people who have chosen to join the armed forces,” he said. “And I think it’s absolutely right and proper that they should have an exposure to the military.”

Prince Andrew served in the Royal Navy and saw combat as a helicopter co-pilot in the Falklands War aboard HMS Invincible in 1982. He said his interest in the military began as a boy, while growing up at Buckingham Palace.

“I’d always wanted to fly helicopters, ever since my father took me out in the garden here to the helicopter part of the lawn,” he recalled. “I was hooked from a very, very small age. That’s why I went into the Navy. It was purely because I wanted to fly with the Navy and it was great. I loved it.”

He told Vieira the thought of avoiding combat via privilege never occurred him — and he felt lucky to be alive after the conflict.

“That was where my squadron was going,” he said. “That’s what I was trained to do. Therefore, it was logical that I went.”

His Royal Highness also spoke of his responsibilities as the United Kingdom’s Special Representative for International Trade — a position he has held since 2001.

“International trade is export, an old term, and investment is import and investment by other countries in the U.K.,” he said. “So I try to encourage business to go into the global market.

“The Royal Family have always had an interest in a number of different areas of society. We are a part of society. I felt that perhaps the business community weren’t as well-represented in that as we could be,” he added.

Prince Andrew said he was proud to bring his daughter, Princess Beatrice, on the job at a recent trade conference in Egypt. He said his other daughter, Princess Eugenie, is a very talented artist.

“I'm extremely proud of both of them,” he said. “They're outstanding. They've got both to realize that they are slightly different to everybody else. They are princesses. So therefore, they've got to understand their responsibilities. And they do so with great humility and understanding.”

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, who divorced in 1996, remain friendly and refer to themselves as active “co-parents.” He also said he enjoys taking a backseat to his former wife, who has gained notoriety in the States as a U.S. spokesperson for Weight Watchers International.

“I have to say that I have actually been in a number of places in the U.S. with Sarah and it’s quite nice just being known as the ex-husband — or not even recognized,” he said.

The royal treatment
Prince Andrew gave Vieira a rare, inside tour of Buckingham Palace, the London residence of the British monarch. He pointed to a suite where he was born, back in 1960, and recalled one of his fondest childhood memories was playing football, cricket and tennis down a passage with “lots and lots of glass cabinets.”

“I don’t think in any event were any of the glass cabinets ever broken,” he said.

He also admitted to receiving many “cold lunches” as a boy based on the size of the 828,000 square feet of floor space at the Palace.

“Our nursery was the furthest possible point from the kitchen,” he said.

Vieira asked Prince Andrew if he was a “naughty child,” but he revealed himself to have been a quiet boy, despite his gregarious nature today.

“I’ve always been told I was extremely well-behaved as a kid,” he said.

Vieira also asked if Prince Andrew had ever fantasized about life without being a Royal.

“Not the sort of thing that I can have an opportunity to think about,” he said. “I mean, it’s bad enough when you find out — well, not bad enough ...”

Vieira noted that it sounded like life as a prince can be a burden.

“You choose to make it a burden or you choose to make it an opportunity,” Prince Andrew responded. “I'm somebody who looks at these things through a glass half-full, rather than a glass empty.”

MORE FROM PEOPLE

People Section Front

Child actor admits killing 2 for yacht Slide show: Ex-child star on trial for murder Woods subbing ‘diaper bingo’ for golf Teen recounts horror of sex slavery ‘Breast cancer saved my life’ ‘Coward’ skydives over Mount Everest Woman is shot in the leg by her stove Does prison loom for mortgage execs? Shock! He survived lightning at gas pump Ex-fiancé to Caylee’s mom: ‘Stop lying’ People Section Front   Add People headlines to your news reader: