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This episode commenced with a solitary photograph, possibly the most significant ever captured of a royal family member.

Present was the Baron Killyleagh, arm-in-arm a young woman, while an associate grinned suggestively in the rear.

Absent that snapshot, taken at a social event in 2001, who would have believed the claims of a teenager who declared she was moved across the ocean and compelled to have perfunctory relations with a individual of the monarchy?

A curious, telling gesture by someone who had overtly claimed to have never heard of her, said he could never have had sex with her, and yet handed over a large amount of his mother's funds to resolve a protracted court action.

A Long Period of Disgrace

In this context, talk of the royals acting swiftly to sever ties with Andrew are misguided. This scandal has persisted for the better part of 15 years since that image, and an additional snapshot of Andrew ambling congenially with a notorious individual came to light.

• Self-importance: For what duration did his siblings, possibly even his parents, realize that Andrew was so presumptuous?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have known, if his aides and the authorities were doing their jobs, that he had some highly questionable friends given he openly hosted them to palaces.
• Financial Extravagance: If the household did not know about his intimate behaviors, they certainly knew about his overspending with public money.

Journeys were printed in royal annual reports: helicopter transfers from the estate to a sporting venue and back again in time for dining, private flights instead of scheduled services, all for the benefit of "the frequent flyer".

Existence of Entitlement

Furthermore the entitlement which expected subservience when he appeared in a area or the profound consciousness about his royal titles used on his correspondence in letters to his friends.

He could get away with it while his matriarch, who strangely pampered him, was still living. The Queen did at least revoke him of royal responsibilities and ceremonial ranks in the consequence of his ill-fated and, as revealed, deceptive public statement six years ago.

Current Situation

Merely in the last fortnight that events sped up, following the release of biographical works giving more grim particulars of his conduct and that of his connections.

Further disclosures have again highlighted Andrew's thinking that he could avoid lying about his relationship with a disgraced individual.

Society (and the media) were far in advance of the royals. There was no one of any consequence to support him, a result of all those years of arrogance.

Royal Worries

The more intelligent monarchical figures recognized that. The one imperative is to transfer the crown, if not as previously at least complete and untarnished.

They have spent the last 190 years trying to overcome the image of previous monarchs, proving they are valuable, dutiful and reactive to their people.

He was placing all that in jeopardy in an age when deference and privacy is no longer adequate.

Consequences

Eventually, the well-known uncertain monarch was pushed more. There was little choice. The royal household had surrendered command of the account.

Presently the stripping of honorifics and the ongoing and lifetime personal shame that will hurt Andrew most deeply.

• Demotion: Lowered to just Mr Mountbatten-Windsor
• Past Example: The primary monarch to lose his titles in modern times
• Armed Forces: Particularly hurtful given his duty in the Falklands war

He is still a constitutional officer, on paper able to substitute for the king, and he is still eighth in line to the crown, but neither of these will truly occur.

Coming Developments

Can persons he comes across still show respect to him? Could they still slip up and call him Prince? Might they say Mr,

Certainly, he is not moving to suburbia, but to the monarchy's extensive property at a royal residence.

There, he will be furnished by the monarch with one of the grace and favour houses and given some type of financial support.

It is not his former home, where he paid a token lease for more than 20 years, and the county is a bit distant, but even so it may not be sufficiently removed.

Outstanding Concerns

The situation continues. There are still records in the possession of overseas authorities to be revealed.

• Political Pressure: Might legislators request additional information
• Fiscal Review: Or examine the misuse of public money
• Judicial Potential: There may even be a police investigation into his conduct

Maybe for the moment the harm to the monarchy to the institution is contained. The statement from the palace was evidently that the revocation of designations was what the sovereign, and particularly other senior monarchical figures, desired.

Changed Stance

No more deception that Andrew was doing it voluntarily. And, notably, the short announcement showed evidently that the royals were aligning with the accuser's narrative of occurrences.

Additionally, for the premiere occasion they finally showed regard for the affected individuals: "The measures are judged required, regardless of the truth that he continues to deny the allegations against him."

Finally it is presumption, selfishness and inactivity that will destroy the monarchy. In his foolishness, self-gratification and venality, Andrew appears never to have learned that reality.