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The saga started with a single photograph, arguably the most consequential ever captured of a individual from the royal household.

Present was the Earl of Inverness, with his arm around a young woman, while a companion smiled knowingly in the rear.

Without that snapshot, taken at a party in 2001, it would have been difficult to accept the claims of a adolescent who declared she was trafficked across the Atlantic and forced to have brief relations with a individual of the royal bloodline?

A curious, indicative action by someone who had publicly stated to have not known about her, claimed he could never have had sex with her, and yet handed over a large amount of his mother's funds to avert a long-delayed legal case.

A Long Period of Scandal

Considering this, conversations of the royal family acting firmly to cut Andrew off are misguided. This scandal has persisted for the largest portion of 15 years since that picture, and an additional snapshot of Andrew ambling congenially with a convicted sex offender came to light.

• Self-importance: To what extent did his siblings, perhaps even his parents, realize that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Questionable Associations: They must have known, if his employees and the law enforcement were performing their duties, that he had some extremely unsavory companions given he openly hosted them to royal residences.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the monarchy did not know about his sexual proclivities, they certainly knew about his overspending with state resources.

Trips were printed in royal annual reports: private aircraft travel from the palace to a country club and back again in time for midday meal, chartered planes instead of scheduled services, all for the convenience of "the frequent flyer".

Existence of Entitlement

Furthermore the presumption which demanded subservience when he appeared in a space or the profound obsession about his royal titles used on his correspondence in communication to his personal acquaintances.

He avoided accountability while his parent, who unaccountably spoiled him, was still alive. The sovereign did at least remove him of public duties and military positions in the wake of his catastrophic and, it is now clear, deceptive media appearance six years ago.

Current Situation

It was only in the last two weeks that events progressed rapidly, following the release of books giving more disturbing particulars of his behavior and that of his connections.

More information have again revealed Andrew's thinking that he could avoid being untruthful about his contact with a convicted criminal.

Society (and the media) were far in advance of the royals. There was nobody of any significance to defend him, a consequence of all those years of hubris.

Monarchical Concerns

The wiser monarchical figures realized that. The key objective is to pass on the institution, if not as heretofore at least whole and untarnished.

For generations the last 190 years trying to reverse the image of previous monarchs, showing they are valuable, dutiful and attentive to their subjects.

Andrew was putting all that in danger in an era when deference and secrecy is no longer enough.

Consequences

Ultimately, the famously hesitant sovereign was prodded additional. There was no alternative. The palace had relinquished authority of the narrative.

Currently the removal of honorifics and the ongoing and permanent social disgrace that will afflict Andrew most severely.

• Demotion: Demoted to just a commoner
• Past Example: The primary monarch to surrender his titles in recent history
• Armed Forces: Especially painful given his duty in the engagement

He is still a counsellor of state, theoretically able to act for the monarch, and he is still in the succession to the monarchy, but not any of these will ever happen.

Coming Developments

Will people he meets still defer to him? Might they still make mistakes and call him Sir? Will they even say Mr,

Of course, he is not withdrawing to a common area, but to the royal family's extensive grounds at a royal residence.

At that location, he will be furnished by the monarch with one of the grace and favour houses and given some type of financial support.

It is not his prior accommodation, where he paid a minimal payment for more than 20 years, and the county is a bit distant, but even so it may not be adequate distance.

Outstanding Concerns

This is not over. There are still documents in the hands of overseas authorities to be revealed.

• Governmental Scrutiny: Might legislators seek further action
• Financial Investigation: Or examine the improper use of taxpayer funds
• Judicial Potential: There may even be a law enforcement inquiry into his behavior

Maybe for the moment the institutional damage to the monarchy is restricted. The message from the royal household was evidently that the stripping of designations was what the monarch, and especially other senior royals, sought.

Changed Stance

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

Even more, for the premiere occasion they eventually showed regard for the survivors: "The measures are judged required, regardless of the reality that he persists in refuting the claims against him."

Finally it is entitlement, self-seeking and indolence that will destroy the crown. In his stupidity, personal excess and corruption, Andrew appears never to have grasped that reality.