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It all began with a isolated photograph, arguably the most significant ever taken of a individual from the royal household.

There stood the Baron Killyleagh, with his arm around a female youth, while an associate beamed suggestively in the rear.

Without that photograph, shot at a social event in 2001, who would have believed the claims of a young woman who stated she was transported across the ocean and obliged to have perfunctory relations with a prince of the royal family?

An odd, indicative move by someone who had overtly stated to have no heard of her, asserted he could not have had relations with her, and yet paid a substantial sum of his mother's funds to settle a long-delayed lawsuit.

Over a Decade of Controversy

In this context, conversations of the royal family acting firmly to sever ties with Andrew are wide of the mark. This scandal has endured for the majority of 15 years since that image, and a further snapshot of Andrew strolling pleasantly with a convicted sex offender emerged.

• Arrogance: For what duration did his family members, perhaps even his mother and father, realize that Andrew was so self-entitled?
• Questionable Associations: They must have understood, if his staff and the police were fulfilling their roles, that he had some highly questionable companions given he publicly hosted them to estates.
• Financial Extravagance: If the monarchy did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his extravagance with taxpayer funds.

Trips were printed in royal annual reports: private aircraft flights from the royal residence to a golf course and back again in time for midday meal, chartered planes instead of commercial flights, all for the comfort of "the travel enthusiast".

A Life of Privilege

Furthermore the presumption which demanded respect when he walked into a space or the supreme consciousness about his honorifics used on his correspondence in messages to his friends.

He managed to escape consequences while his mother, who inexplicably pampered him, was still alive. The sovereign did at least strip him of official roles and ceremonial ranks in the consequence of his catastrophic and, it is now clear, mendacious media appearance six years ago.

Recent Developments

It was only in the last 14 days that events progressed rapidly, following the issuance of books giving more troubling details of his behavior and that of his associates.

More information have again highlighted Andrew's thinking that he could get away with being untruthful about his relationship with a notorious figure.

The public (and the media) were far in advance of the royal family. There was no one of any consequence to speak up for him, a consequence of all those years of hubris.

Royal Worries

The more astute family members realized that. The one imperative is to transfer the monarchy, if not as heretofore at least complete and unstained.

For generations the last 190 years trying to reverse the reputation of past sovereigns, showing they are beneficial, dutiful and responsive to their people.

His actions endangered all that in peril in an era when deference and discretion is no longer enough.

Consequences

Ultimately, the well-known hesitant monarch was pressured further. There was little choice. The royal household had surrendered command of the account.

Currently the removal of titles and the persistent and life-long public humiliation that will hurt Andrew the most.

• Downgrading: Reduced to just a commoner
• Prior Instance: The primary monarch to lose his honorifics in recent history
• Military Service: Particularly hurtful given his duty in the Falklands war

He continues to be a royal advisor, on paper able to act for the sovereign, and he is still in the succession to the throne, but neither of these will ever happen.

Future Prospects

Can persons he encounters still show respect to him? Will they still slip up and call him Prince? Will they even say Andrew,

Of course, he is not retiring to a common area, but to the royal family's vast estate at a royal residence.

At that location, he will be supplied by the king with one of the royal residences and given some form of personal stipend.

This differs from his previous residence, where he paid a token payment for more than 20 years, and the area is a bit far, but even so it may not be sufficiently removed.

Unresolved Issues

Matters remain unresolved. There are still records in the custody of US Congress to be revealed.

• Political Pressure: Will legislators request additional information
• Financial Investigation: Or examine the misuse of state resources
• Criminal Investigation: There may even be a law enforcement inquiry into his actions

Perhaps for the moment the harm to the monarchy to the institution is limited. The message from the royal household was plainly that the revocation of designations was what the monarch, and particularly other senior royals, desired.

Changed Stance

No more illusion that Andrew was acting willingly. And, significantly, the brief announcement showed clearly that the monarchy were siding with the victim's version of events.

Furthermore, for the initial instance they ultimately showed concern for the survivors: "The measures are considered essential, notwithstanding the reality that he persists in refuting the claims against him."

In the end it is presumption, self-seeking and inactivity that will kill the crown. In his folly, personal excess and corruption, Andrew appears never to have grasped that lesson.