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

Present was the Baron Killyleagh, standing closely beside a young woman, while another individual beamed knowingly in the rear.

Lacking that snapshot, captured at a social event in 2001, who would have believed the claims of a teenager who stated she was trafficked across the ocean and compelled to have brief sexual encounters with a member of the royal family?

A strange, indicative gesture by someone who had overtly asserted to have never known about her, claimed he could no have had sex with her, and yet paid a large amount of family resources to resolve a drawn-out court action.

A Long Period of Controversy

In this context, talk of the monarchy acting decisively to sever ties with Andrew are wide of the mark. This controversy has continued for the better part of 15 years since that picture, and an additional snapshot of Andrew strolling pleasantly with a disgraced financier came to light.

• Hubris: To what extent did his family members, maybe even his mother and father, know that Andrew was so presumptuous?
• Questionable Associations: They must have realized, if his employees and the law enforcement were performing their duties, that he had some highly questionable companions given he publicly welcomed them to palaces.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the household did not know about his intimate behaviors, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with public money.

Travel were printed in public records: private aircraft transfers from the royal residence to a country club and back again in time for dining, private flights instead of regular transport, all for the convenience of "Airmiles Andy".

Existence of Entitlement

Then there was the entitlement which demanded subservience when he entered a area or the supreme consciousness about his honorifics used on his correspondence in communication to his associates.

He managed to escape consequences while his matriarch, who inexplicably indulged him, was still alive. The sovereign did at least strip him of public duties and honorary colonelcies in the aftermath of his ill-fated and, as revealed, untruthful media appearance six years ago.

Latest Events

Merely in the last 14 days that events accelerated, following the publication of biographical works giving more disturbing information of his behavior and that of his connections.

Further disclosures have again exposed Andrew's thinking that he could avoid being untruthful about his relationship with a disgraced individual.

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

Institutional Fears

The wiser family members understood that. The primary concern is to hand down the monarchy, if not as heretofore at least intact and untarnished.

Over time the last 190 years trying to undo the legacy of earlier rulers, proving they are beneficial, accountable and reactive to their subjects.

His actions endangered all that in danger in an era when deference and discretion is no longer sufficient.

The Fallout

Finally, the well-known uncertain monarch was pushed additional. There was no alternative. The royal household had relinquished authority of the story.

Currently the stripping of titles and the continued and permanent social disgrace that will afflict Andrew most severely.

• Demotion: Demoted to just a private citizen
• Historical Precedent: The initial member to forfeit his designations in contemporary era
• Naval Career: Particularly stinging given his role in the engagement

He continues to be a counsellor of state, on paper able to act for the king, and he is still eighth in line to the monarchy, but not any of these will actually happen.

Future Prospects

Will people he encounters still defer to him? Will they still make mistakes and call him Your Highness? Will they even say Sir,

Naturally, he is not retiring to suburbia, but to the royal family's large estate at Sandringham.

At that location, he will be supplied by the king with one of the estate properties and given some form of financial support.

This is not his previous residence, where he paid a nominal rent for more than 20 years, and Norfolk is a bit distant, but even so it may not be far enough.

Outstanding Concerns

The situation continues. There are still files in the possession of overseas authorities to be disclosed.

• Political Pressure: Will lawmakers seek further action
• Financial Investigation: Or scrutinize the misuse of public money
• Legal Possibility: There may even be a law enforcement inquiry into his conduct

Possibly for the time being the reputational impact to the monarchy is contained. The message from the institution was plainly that the revocation of titles was what the monarch, and particularly other senior family members, sought.

Altered Approach

The cessation of pretence that Andrew was doing it voluntarily. And, remarkably, the short statement showed plainly that the monarchy were siding with the accuser's account of occurrences.

Even more, for the premiere occasion they finally showed regard for the survivors: "These actions are considered essential, regardless of the reality that he maintains his innocence of the allegations against him."

In the end it is presumption, self-seeking and laziness that will undermine the crown. In his folly, personal excess and venality, Andrew gives the impression never to have grasped that lesson.