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The saga started with a single photograph, possibly the most impactful ever taken of a royal family member.

There stood the Baron Killyleagh, arm-in-arm a female youth, while another individual beamed knowingly in the background.

Absent that image, shot at a gathering in 2001, who would have believed the assertions of a adolescent who said she was trafficked across the ocean and obliged to have brief sexual encounters with a member of the royal family?

A strange, revealing gesture by someone who had overtly stated to have no known about her, said he could not have had relations with her, and yet provided millions of monarchical resources to avert a drawn-out legal case.

A Long Period of Scandal

In this context, talk of the monarchy acting firmly to sever ties with Andrew are inaccurate. This controversy has continued for the majority of 15 years since that picture, and an additional photo of Andrew strolling congenially with a disgraced financier emerged.

• Arrogance: How long did his family members, possibly even his relatives, know that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have realized, if his staff and the police were fulfilling their roles, that he had some extremely unsavory associates given he publicly welcomed them to royal residences.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the monarchy did not know about his sexual proclivities, they certainly knew about his overspending with public money.

Trips were documented in public records: helicopter transfers from the palace to a golf course and back again in time for lunch, private flights instead of scheduled services, all for the convenience of "the travel enthusiast".

Existence of Entitlement

Additionally the presumption which required respect when he appeared in a room or the profound awareness about his royal titles used on his official documents in communication to his friends.

He avoided accountability while his mother, who unaccountably indulged him, was still living. The monarch did at least remove him of public duties and ceremonial ranks in the wake of his ill-fated and, as revealed, mendacious media appearance six years ago.

Current Situation

Merely in the last 14 days that events progressed rapidly, following the release of accounts giving more disturbing particulars of his behavior and that of his connections.

Additional revelations have again revealed Andrew's thinking that he could escape deceiving about his relationship with a notorious figure.

Society (and the journalists) were far in advance of the monarchy. There was not a single person of any importance to speak up for him, a result of all those years of hubris.

Royal Worries

The more astute family members recognized that. The key objective is to transfer the monarchy, if not as previously at least complete and unblemished.

They have spent the last 190 years trying to overcome the reputation of past sovereigns, demonstrating they are useful, responsible and reactive to their citizens.

Andrew was putting all that in danger in an era when deference and privacy is no longer adequate.

The Fallout

Ultimately, the well-known hesitant monarch was prodded further. There was little choice. The royal household had relinquished authority of the story.

Presently the removal of honorifics and the continued and permanent social disgrace that will afflict Andrew the most.

• Demotion: Demoted to just a commoner
• Prior Instance: The first monarch to surrender his honorifics in recent history
• Armed Forces: Especially hurtful given his role in the Falklands war

He is still a constitutional officer, on paper able to substitute for the monarch, and he is still in the succession to the crown, but neither of these will actually occur.

Coming Developments

Will people he comes across still show respect to him? Will they still make mistakes and call him Sir? Will they even say Mr,

Certainly, he is not moving to an ordinary town, but to the monarchy's vast estate at a royal residence.

In that place, he will be provided by the king with one of the estate properties and given some form of private allowance.

It is not his prior accommodation, where he paid a minimal payment for more than 20 years, and the area is a bit remote, but even so it may not be sufficiently removed.

Unresolved Issues

Matters remain unresolved. There are still records in the custody of American legislators to be disclosed.

• Parliamentary Interest: Might lawmakers request additional information
• Fiscal Review: Or scrutinize the improper use of public money
• Judicial Potential: There may even be a law enforcement inquiry into his actions

Possibly for the time being the institutional damage to the institution is contained. The statement from the institution was plainly that the removal of designations was what the monarch, and notably other senior monarchical figures, sought.

Altered Approach

The cessation of pretence that Andrew was making the choice himself. And, remarkably, the short announcement showed clearly that the institution were aligning with the victim's account of incidents.

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

Finally it is arrogance, self-interest and laziness that will destroy the monarchy. In his foolishness, personal excess and greed, Andrew seems never to have grasped that lesson.