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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 Duke of York, standing closely beside a young woman, while a companion grinned knowingly in the rear.

Without that photograph, shot at a gathering in 2001, few would have credited the allegations of a adolescent who stated she was trafficked across the ocean and forced to have perfunctory sexual encounters with a prince of the royal family?

A strange, indicative action by someone who had overtly asserted to have not been aware of her, asserted he could never have had intimate contact with her, and yet provided a large amount of his mother's resources to avert a drawn-out court action.

Over a Decade of Controversy

Considering this, talk of the royal family acting decisively to sever ties with Andrew are wide of the mark. This affair has endured for the largest portion of 15 years since that image, and another image of Andrew walking amiably with a disgraced financier surfaced.

• Self-importance: To what extent did his siblings, possibly even his mother and father, know that Andrew was so presumptuous?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have realized, if his staff and the authorities were doing their jobs, that he had some deeply disreputable friends given he openly welcomed them to palaces.
• Financial Extravagance: If the household did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his extravagance with state resources.

Trips were listed in public records: chopper transfers from the royal residence to a country club and back again in time for lunch, exclusive air travel instead of scheduled services, all for the benefit of "Airmiles Andy".

A Life of Privilege

Additionally the entitlement which demanded deference when he appeared in a space or the profound awareness about his royal titles used on his correspondence in letters to his friends.

He avoided accountability while his parent, who inexplicably pampered him, was still alive. The monarch did at least revoke him of royal responsibilities and honorary colonelcies in the aftermath of his ill-fated and, it is now clear, deceptive television interview six years ago.

Current Situation

Merely in the last two weeks that events sped up, following the release of accounts giving more disturbing details of his behavior and that of his connections.

More information have again exposed Andrew's belief that he could avoid being untruthful about his relationship with a notorious figure.

People (and the media) were far more perceptive of the monarchy. There was no one of any consequence to speak up for him, a consequence of all those years of hubris.

Institutional Fears

The more astute monarchical figures realized that. The primary concern is to transfer the institution, if not as heretofore at least complete and unblemished.

For generations the last 190 years trying to reverse the legacy of earlier rulers, showing they are valuable, accountable and reactive to their subjects.

Andrew was putting all that in danger in an time when respect and discretion is no longer enough.

Consequences

Eventually, the notoriously indecisive monarch was pressured additional. There was no other option. The royal household had surrendered command of the narrative.

Currently the loss of titles and the persistent and permanent public humiliation that will afflict Andrew the most.

• Downgrading: Demoted to just a commoner
• Prior Instance: The primary member to lose his titles in contemporary era
• Armed Forces: Notably painful given his service in the engagement

He remains a constitutional officer, theoretically able to substitute for the sovereign, and he is still eighth in line to the throne, but none of these will truly come to pass.

Future Prospects

Do individuals he encounters still show respect to him? Will they still make mistakes and call him Sir? Might they say Andrew,

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

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

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

Outstanding Concerns

Matters remain unresolved. There are still documents in the possession of American legislators to be disclosed.

• Political Pressure: Will legislators demand more
• Fiscal Review: Or scrutinize the waste of public money
• Legal Possibility: There may even be a criminal probe into his conduct

Possibly for the moment the institutional damage to the crown is limited. The narrative from the palace was clearly that the stripping of designations was what the king, and especially other senior monarchical figures, desired.

Altered Approach

No more illusion that Andrew was doing it voluntarily. And, notably, the brief communication showed clearly that the monarchy were siding with the complainant's version of incidents.

Even more, for the first time they ultimately showed regard for the affected individuals: "These actions are considered essential, notwithstanding the fact that he maintains his innocence of the accusations against him."

Finally it is presumption, self-seeking and laziness that will destroy the crown. In his stupidity, self-gratification and greed, Andrew seems never to have understood that lesson.