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It all began with a single photograph, perhaps the most consequential ever captured of a individual from the royal household.

There stood the Earl of Inverness, arm-in-arm a female youth, while an associate beamed suggestively in the rear.

Without that image, taken 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 sea and obliged to have cursory sexual encounters with a prince of the royal family?

A strange, indicative move by someone who had overtly stated to have no heard of her, asserted he could no have had relations with her, and yet handed over a substantial sum of his mother's resources to avert a drawn-out lawsuit.

A Long Period of Controversy

In this context, conversations of the monarchy acting decisively to distance themselves from Andrew are inaccurate. This controversy has continued for the better part of 15 years since that picture, and another image of Andrew walking congenially with a convicted sex offender emerged.

• Arrogance: To what extent did his siblings, perhaps even his parents, realize that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have known, if his employees and the police were performing their duties, that he had some deeply disreputable associates given he publicly invited them to estates.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the monarchy did not know about his sexual proclivities, they certainly knew about his overspending with public money.

Trips were printed in public records: chopper flights from the royal residence to a sporting venue and back again in time for dining, chartered planes instead of commercial flights, all for the comfort of "Airmiles Andy".

Existence of Entitlement

Furthermore the presumption which required deference when he entered a area or the extreme obsession about his designations used on his official documents in communication to his personal acquaintances.

He managed to escape consequences while his mother, who inexplicably indulged him, was still alive. The sovereign did at least remove him of official roles and honorary colonelcies in the aftermath of his catastrophic and, we now know, deceptive television interview six years ago.

Latest Events

Merely in the last 14 days that events progressed rapidly, following the release of biographical works giving more troubling particulars of his actions and that of his companions.

More information have again highlighted Andrew's assumption that he could avoid being untruthful about his interaction with a notorious figure.

Society (and the media) were far ahead of the monarchy. There was not a single person of any significance to support him, a outcome of all those years of hubris.

Royal Worries

The more astute royals recognized that. The key objective is to hand down the monarchy, if not as heretofore at least whole and unblemished.

For generations the last 190 years trying to overcome the image of previous monarchs, showing they are useful, accountable and attentive to their subjects.

He was placing all that in jeopardy in an time when respect and discretion is no longer adequate.

Aftermath

Ultimately, the notoriously hesitant sovereign was pressured more. There was little choice. The institution had surrendered command of the account.

Currently the stripping of titles and the persistent and life-long social disgrace that will pain Andrew the most.

• Demotion: Reduced to just a commoner
• Past Example: The primary royal to surrender his designations in recent history
• Naval Career: Notably painful given his duty in the Falklands war

He is still a counsellor of state, theoretically able to substitute for the king, and he is still eighth in line to the monarchy, but none of these will ever occur.

What Lies Ahead

Do individuals he comes across still defer to him? Could they still forget themselves and call him Prince? Will they even say Sir,

Of course, he is not moving to an ordinary town, but to the royal family's extensive property at Sandringham.

In that place, he will be supplied by the sovereign with one of the grace and favour houses and given some type of private allowance.

It is not his previous residence, where he paid a minimal rent for more than 20 years, and the county is a bit far, but even so it may not be adequate distance.

Outstanding Concerns

The situation continues. There are still files in the custody of American legislators to be made public.

• Governmental Scrutiny: Could legislators demand more
• Monetary Probe: Or examine the misuse of taxpayer funds
• Legal Possibility: There may even be a police investigation into his behavior

Perhaps for the moment the reputational impact to the crown is contained. The statement from the royal household was evidently that the removal of designations was what the king, and particularly other senior royals, sought.

Changed Stance

No more illusion that Andrew was acting willingly. And, significantly, the brief statement showed plainly that the institution were aligning with the victim's narrative of occurrences.

Additionally, for the initial instance they ultimately showed regard for the victims: "The censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the reality that he continues to deny the allegations against him."

In the end it is arrogance, self-seeking and laziness that will kill the institution. In his folly, self-gratification and greed, Andrew gives the impression never to have grasped that reality.