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This episode commenced with a single photograph, arguably the most significant ever captured of a royal family member.

In the frame appeared the Duke of York, with his arm around a teenage girl, while a companion beamed knowingly in the rear.

Lacking that image, shot at a social event in 2001, few would have credited the claims of a adolescent who said she was moved across the ocean and compelled to have perfunctory intimate contact with a individual of the royal family?

A strange, indicative move by someone who had publicly stated to have not been aware of her, said he could never have had relations with her, and yet paid a large amount of monarchical funds to settle a long-delayed legal case.

Over a Decade of Controversy

In this context, conversations of the royals acting decisively to sever ties with Andrew are wide of the mark. This controversy has persisted for the majority of 15 years since that picture, and an additional image of Andrew strolling pleasantly with a disgraced financier emerged.

• Self-importance: How long did his brothers and sisters, perhaps even his relatives, realize that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Problematic Connections: They must have understood, if his employees and the authorities were doing their jobs, that he had some extremely unsavory companions given he unabashedly invited them to estates.
• Monetary Excess: If the household did not know about his sexual proclivities, they certainly knew about his extravagance with state resources.

Trips were printed in official documents: helicopter flights from the palace to a country club and back again in time for lunch, private flights instead of scheduled services, all for the comfort of "the frequent flyer".

A Life of Privilege

Additionally the arrogance which expected subservience when he entered a space or the supreme consciousness about his royal titles used on his official documents in communication to his associates.

He avoided accountability while his mother, who unaccountably pampered him, was still surviving. The sovereign did at least revoke him of official roles and ceremonial ranks in the consequence of his catastrophic and, as revealed, mendacious public statement six years ago.

Recent Developments

It was only in the last 14 days that events progressed rapidly, following the release of books giving more disturbing information of his actions and that of his associates.

More information have again revealed Andrew's thinking that he could avoid deceiving about his interaction with a notorious figure.

Society (and the press) were far ahead of the monarchy. There was not a single person of any importance to defend him, a consequence of all those years of presumption.

Royal Worries

The more astute royals understood that. The primary concern is to hand down the monarchy, if not as heretofore at least complete and unblemished.

For generations the last 190 years trying to undo the reputation of previous monarchs, demonstrating they are valuable, responsible and reactive to their subjects.

He was placing all that in peril in an era when submission and discretion is no longer sufficient.

Consequences

Eventually, the notoriously hesitant monarch was prodded additional. There was no alternative. The royal household had surrendered command of the narrative.

Presently the removal of honorifics and the persistent and lifetime personal shame that will hurt Andrew most deeply.

• Demotion: Demoted to just a private citizen
• Past Example: The primary monarch to lose his titles in contemporary era
• Armed Forces: Notably stinging given his service in the engagement

He is still a royal advisor, on paper able to substitute for the monarch, and he is still in the succession to the crown, but neither of these will ever come to pass.

Coming Developments

Do individuals he meets still defer to him? Will they still make mistakes and call him Prince? Will they even say Sir,

Certainly, he is not withdrawing to suburbia, but to the sovereign's large estate at a monarchical property.

In that place, he will be provided by the monarch with one of the estate properties and given some form of financial support.

This is not his prior accommodation, 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 adequate distance.

Pending Matters

The situation continues. There are still files in the hands of American legislators to be revealed.

• Parliamentary Interest: Could parliament seek further action
• Monetary Probe: Or examine the improper use of taxpayer funds
• Judicial Potential: There may even be a police investigation into his behavior

Maybe for the time being the harm to the monarchy to the institution is restricted. The statement from the royal household was clearly that the stripping of honorifics was what the king, and notably other senior monarchical figures, wanted.

Changed Stance

The cessation of pretence that Andrew was making the choice himself. And, significantly, the brief communication showed evidently that the institution were aligning with the accuser's narrative of incidents.

Additionally, for the initial instance they eventually showed regard for the affected individuals: "These actions are considered essential, notwithstanding the truth that he continues to deny the accusations against him."

Finally it is presumption, self-seeking and laziness that will undermine the monarchy. In his folly, self-gratification and venality, Andrew seems never to have learned that truth.