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It all began with a single photograph, possibly the most consequential ever captured of a member of the monarchy.

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

Without that snapshot, captured at a party in 2001, it would have been difficult to accept the allegations of a young woman who said she was trafficked across the ocean and obliged to have brief intimate contact with a prince of the monarchy?

A curious, indicative action by someone who had openly claimed to have no heard of her, claimed he could no have had intimate contact with her, and yet paid a substantial sum of family money to avert a drawn-out legal case.

Over a Decade of Controversy

Against this backdrop, discussions of the royals acting decisively to sever ties with Andrew are inaccurate. This affair has persisted for the majority of 15 years since that photograph, and a further snapshot of Andrew ambling amiably with a disgraced financier surfaced.

• Arrogance: To what extent did his siblings, perhaps even his mother and father, know that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have understood, if his staff and the law enforcement were doing their jobs, that he had some extremely unsavory friends given he unabashedly invited them to palaces.
• Financial Extravagance: If the family did not know about his sexual proclivities, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with public money.

Travel were listed in official documents: private aircraft transfers from the estate to a golf course and back again in time for midday meal, exclusive air travel instead of commercial flights, all for the convenience of "Airmiles Andy".

Existence of Entitlement

Then there was the presumption which demanded subservience when he appeared in a room or the extreme awareness about his designations used on his official documents in communication to his personal acquaintances.

He avoided accountability while his mother, who unaccountably spoiled him, was still surviving. The Queen did at least strip him of official roles and military positions in the wake of his catastrophic and, as revealed, untruthful media appearance six years ago.

Current Situation

It was only in the last two weeks that events sped up, following the issuance of biographical works giving more disturbing particulars of his actions and that of his connections.

Further disclosures have again exposed Andrew's assumption that he could escape being untruthful about his interaction with a notorious figure.

The public (and the journalists) were far in advance of the monarchy. There was nobody of any consequence to defend him, a result of all those years of hubris.

Monarchical Concerns

The more astute monarchical figures realized that. The key objective is to pass on the monarchy, if not as heretofore at least complete and unblemished.

For generations the last 190 years trying to reverse the legacy of earlier rulers, proving they are useful, dutiful and responsive to their citizens.

His actions endangered all that in peril in an time when respect and privacy is no longer sufficient.

Consequences

Eventually, the notoriously indecisive king was prodded more. There was little choice. The palace had relinquished authority of the narrative.

Now it is the loss of honorifics and the ongoing and permanent public humiliation that will afflict Andrew most severely.

• Downgrading: Reduced to just a private citizen
• Prior Instance: The first royal to surrender his designations in recent history
• Naval Career: Particularly hurtful given his service in the Falklands war

He remains a counsellor of state, theoretically able to substitute for the monarch, and he is still eighth in line to the crown, but neither of these will actually occur.

What Lies Ahead

Will people he meets still defer to him? Could they still make mistakes and call him Prince? Would they say Andrew,

Of course, he is not moving to a common area, but to the royal family's large grounds at a monarchical property.

There, he will be supplied by the monarch with one of the estate properties and given some form of financial support.

This differs from his prior accommodation, where he paid a minimal rent for more than 20 years, and Norfolk is a bit far, but even so it may not be sufficiently removed.

Outstanding Concerns

This is not over. There are still files in the custody of US Congress to be made public.

• Parliamentary Interest: Will lawmakers request additional information
• Fiscal Review: Or examine the misuse of public money
• Legal Possibility: There may even be a police investigation into his actions

Perhaps for the time being the harm to the monarchy to the crown is contained. The statement from the institution was clearly that the stripping of designations was what the king, and particularly other senior royals, wanted.

Altered Approach

The cessation of deception that Andrew was acting willingly. And, remarkably, the concise statement showed clearly that the royals were aligning with the accuser's narrative of events.

Furthermore, for the first time they finally showed consideration for the victims: "The measures are judged required, notwithstanding the truth that he persists in refuting the accusations against him."

In the end it is arrogance, selfishness and indolence that will undermine the institution. In his foolishness, self-indulgence and venality, Andrew gives the impression never to have understood that lesson.