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It all began with a single photograph, perhaps the most significant ever captured of a member of the monarchy.

In the frame appeared the Baron Killyleagh, arm-in-arm a young woman, while another individual grinned suggestively in the rear.

Without that photograph, taken at a gathering in 2001, who would have believed the claims of a teenager who stated she was trafficked across the ocean and obliged to have cursory relations with a individual of the royal family?

A curious, telling action by someone who had publicly asserted to have not been aware of her, said he could never have had sex with her, and yet paid millions of his mother's money to avert a drawn-out legal case.

A Long Period of Disgrace

Considering this, talk of the monarchy acting swiftly to cut Andrew off are misguided. This scandal has endured for the majority of 15 years since that picture, and an additional photo of Andrew strolling amiably with a convicted sex offender emerged.

• Arrogance: To what extent did his family members, perhaps even his relatives, realize that Andrew was so self-entitled?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have known, if his staff and the authorities were fulfilling their roles, that he had some deeply disreputable companions given he unabashedly invited them to royal residences.
• Financial Extravagance: If the monarchy did not know about his sexual proclivities, they certainly knew about his extravagance with state resources.

Journeys were listed in royal annual reports: private aircraft flights from the palace to a sporting venue and back again in time for lunch, chartered planes instead of commercial flights, all for the benefit of "Airmiles Andy".

A Life of Privilege

Furthermore the entitlement which demanded subservience when he walked into a area or the profound obsession about his royal titles used on his letterheads in letters to his personal acquaintances.

He managed to escape consequences while his parent, who unaccountably spoiled him, was still living. The monarch did at least remove him of public duties and honorary colonelcies in the wake of his catastrophic and, it is now clear, untruthful media appearance six years ago.

Current Situation

Just in the last two weeks that events accelerated, following the publication of biographical works giving more troubling details of his conduct and that of his companions.

More information have again revealed Andrew's belief that he could get away with lying about his relationship with a notorious figure.

Society (and the journalists) were far more perceptive of the royals. There was not a single person of any consequence to speak up for him, a consequence of all those years of presumption.

Monarchical Concerns

The more intelligent royals recognized that. The key objective is to transfer the institution, if not as previously at least whole and unstained.

They have spent the last 190 years trying to overcome the reputation of past sovereigns, demonstrating they are valuable, accountable and responsive to their citizens.

His actions endangered all that in danger in an era when submission and secrecy is no longer adequate.

The Fallout

Ultimately, the famously hesitant monarch was pushed further. There was no alternative. The institution had relinquished authority of the narrative.

Currently the removal of designations and the persistent and lifetime public humiliation that will hurt Andrew most severely.

• Reduction: Demoted to just a commoner
• Past Example: The first member to lose his titles in recent history
• Naval Career: Notably stinging given his role in the conflict

He remains a counsellor of state, theoretically able to stand in for the monarch, and he is still in the lineage to the monarchy, but neither of these will actually occur.

Future Prospects

Will people he meets still defer to him? Might they still make mistakes and call him Your Highness? Would they say Sir,

Of course, he is not withdrawing to suburbia, but to the monarchy's large estate at a royal residence.

There, he will be furnished by the sovereign with one of the estate properties and given some sort of private allowance.

It is not his former home, where he paid a nominal rent for more than 20 years, and Norfolk is a bit remote, but even so it may not be far enough.

Pending Matters

This is not over. There are still documents in the hands of American legislators to be disclosed.

• Parliamentary Interest: Could parliament demand more
• Financial Investigation: Or examine the misuse of public money
• Criminal Investigation: There may even be a criminal probe into his actions

Possibly for the present the reputational impact to the crown is contained. The message from the palace was evidently that the removal of titles was what the king, and notably other senior royals, desired.

A Shift in Position

The cessation of deception that Andrew was making the choice himself. And, notably, the short communication showed clearly that the royals were aligning with the victim's version of occurrences.

Additionally, for the initial instance they finally showed concern for the affected individuals: "These actions are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the truth 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, self-indulgence and greed, Andrew appears never to have grasped that truth.