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This episode commenced with a isolated photograph, perhaps the most significant ever taken of a individual from the royal household.

Present was the Duke of York, arm-in-arm a young woman, while another individual beamed conspiratorially in the backdrop.

Lacking that image, shot at a social event in 2001, who would have believed the assertions of a adolescent who said she was trafficked across the sea and compelled to have brief intimate contact with a individual of the monarchy?

A strange, revealing action by someone who had publicly asserted to have never been aware of her, said he could no have had relations with her, and yet paid a substantial sum of monarchical resources to resolve a protracted lawsuit.

Over a Decade of Controversy

Against this backdrop, talk of the royals acting swiftly to distance themselves from Andrew are wide of the mark. This controversy has continued for the majority of 15 years since that image, and a further snapshot of Andrew strolling amiably with a notorious individual came to light.

• Hubris: For what duration did his brothers and sisters, possibly even his parents, know that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Questionable Associations: They must have realized, if his employees and the police were fulfilling their roles, that he had some extremely unsavory friends given he publicly invited them to royal residences.
• Monetary Excess: If the household did not know about his intimate behaviors, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with state resources.

Journeys were printed in royal annual reports: helicopter travel from the royal residence to a country club and back again in time for dining, exclusive air travel instead of commercial flights, all for the benefit of "Airmiles Andy".

Existence of Entitlement

Furthermore the entitlement which demanded subservience when he appeared in a area or the extreme awareness about his honorifics used on his correspondence in letters to his personal acquaintances.

He avoided accountability while his parent, who unaccountably spoiled him, was still surviving. The sovereign did at least remove him of royal responsibilities and ceremonial ranks in the consequence of his ill-fated and, it is now clear, mendacious media appearance six years ago.

Latest Events

It was only in the last 14 days that events accelerated, following the publication of books giving more disturbing particulars of his conduct and that of his connections.

Additional revelations have again revealed Andrew's thinking that he could avoid deceiving about his relationship with a disgraced individual.

People (and the journalists) were far ahead of the royals. There was nobody of any importance to defend him, a result of all those years of hubris.

Institutional Fears

The more intelligent monarchical figures understood that. The key objective is to pass on the crown, if not as previously at least intact and unstained.

They have spent the last 190 years trying to undo the legacy of past sovereigns, demonstrating they are valuable, responsible and reactive to their people.

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

Consequences

Finally, the famously indecisive sovereign was pushed further. There was no alternative. The palace had relinquished authority of the narrative.

Presently the removal of honorifics and the ongoing and life-long social disgrace that will pain Andrew most deeply.

• Downgrading: Lowered to just a commoner
• Historical Precedent: The first monarch to lose his designations in contemporary era
• Naval Career: Notably hurtful given his service in the Falklands war

He is still a constitutional officer, theoretically able to act for the sovereign, and he is still in the succession to the monarchy, but neither of these will actually come to pass.

Future Prospects

Do individuals he comes across still show respect to him? Could they still slip up and call him Prince? Might they say Andrew,

Naturally, he is not withdrawing to an ordinary town, but to the monarchy's extensive grounds at a monarchical property.

In that place, he will be furnished by the monarch with one of the royal residences and given some form of financial support.

This is not his prior accommodation, where he paid a token rent for more than 20 years, and the area is a bit far, but even so it may not be adequate distance.

Outstanding Concerns

The situation continues. There are still records in the hands of US Congress to be made public.

• Parliamentary Interest: Might lawmakers seek further action
• Fiscal Review: Or investigate the improper use of state resources
• Criminal Investigation: There may even be a criminal probe into his conduct

Maybe for the moment the reputational impact to the crown is restricted. The statement from the institution was plainly that the stripping of designations was what the king, and especially other senior monarchical figures, sought.

Changed Stance

No more pretence that Andrew was doing it voluntarily. And, significantly, the brief statement showed clearly that the monarchy were siding with the complainant's narrative of incidents.

Furthermore, for the first time they ultimately showed concern for the affected individuals: "The measures are judged required, notwithstanding the fact that he persists in refuting the allegations against him."

Finally it is arrogance, selfishness and inactivity that will undermine the monarchy. In his stupidity, self-indulgence and corruption, Andrew appears never to have grasped that truth.