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It all began with a single photograph, arguably the most consequential ever captured of a royal family member.

Present was the Duke of York, standing closely beside a female youth, while a companion grinned knowingly in the background.

Lacking that image, shot at a gathering in 2001, few would have credited the claims of a adolescent who declared she was trafficked across the Atlantic and obliged to have brief intimate contact with a member of the royal family?

A curious, telling action by someone who had openly asserted to have not known about her, asserted he could no have had sex with her, and yet provided a substantial sum of family funds to settle a protracted court action.

Years of Controversy

Considering this, discussions of the monarchy acting swiftly to distance themselves from Andrew are wide of the mark. This affair has endured for the majority of 15 years since that picture, and another snapshot of Andrew ambling pleasantly with a disgraced financier surfaced.

• Hubris: How long did his family members, possibly even his relatives, understand that Andrew was so self-entitled?
• Questionable Associations: They must have understood, if his employees and the police were performing their duties, that he had some deeply disreputable companions given he unabashedly invited them to royal residences.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the monarchy did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with public money.

Trips were listed in public records: chopper transfers from the royal residence to a sporting venue and back again in time for midday meal, chartered planes instead of scheduled services, all for the convenience of "the travel enthusiast".

World of Deference

Additionally the presumption which expected subservience when he walked into a space or the profound consciousness about his royal titles used on his letterheads in messages to his associates.

He avoided accountability while his mother, who strangely spoiled him, was still living. The monarch did at least revoke him of royal responsibilities and ceremonial ranks in the wake of his ill-fated and, as revealed, deceptive public statement six years ago.

Latest Events

It was only in the last two weeks that events progressed rapidly, following the issuance of biographical works giving more troubling details of his actions and that of his companions.

Additional revelations have again revealed Andrew's assumption that he could escape lying about his contact with a convicted criminal.

Society (and the press) were far ahead of the royal family. There was nobody of any consequence to speak up for him, a result of all those years of hubris.

Institutional Fears

The more intelligent monarchical figures recognized that. The key objective is to transfer the monarchy, if not as heretofore at least complete and unblemished.

Over time the last 190 years trying to reverse the reputation of previous monarchs, demonstrating they are useful, responsible and reactive to their people.

He was placing all that in danger in an age when respect and secrecy is no longer enough.

Consequences

Finally, the notoriously hesitant monarch was pushed additional. There was no other option. The royal household had surrendered command of the story.

Currently the stripping of titles and the persistent and life-long personal shame that will hurt Andrew the most.

• Demotion: Demoted to just a private citizen
• Prior Instance: The initial monarch to lose his designations in modern times
• Armed Forces: Particularly stinging given his duty in the Falklands war

He is still a counsellor of state, on paper able to stand in for the sovereign, and he is still eighth in line to the crown, but neither of these will truly come to pass.

Coming Developments

Do individuals he meets still defer to him? Might they still forget themselves and call him Your Highness? Would they say Sir,

Of course, he is not retiring to an ordinary town, but to the monarchy's extensive estate at a monarchical property.

In that place, he will be provided by the king with one of the royal residences and given some type of private allowance.

This differs from his previous residence, where he paid a token rent for more than 20 years, and Norfolk is a bit far, but even so it may not be sufficiently removed.

Unresolved Issues

The situation continues. There are still records in the hands of overseas authorities to be revealed.

• Parliamentary Interest: Could lawmakers seek further action
• Fiscal Review: Or scrutinize the waste of state resources
• Legal Possibility: There may even be a police investigation into his actions

Maybe for the time being the reputational impact to the monarchy is contained. The narrative from the palace was evidently that the revocation of designations was what the sovereign, and notably other senior monarchical figures, sought.

Changed Stance

No more deception that Andrew was making the choice himself. And, notably, the concise announcement showed evidently that the monarchy were supporting the accuser's account of occurrences.

Additionally, for the premiere occasion they ultimately showed concern for the victims: "These actions are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the reality that he maintains his innocence of the claims against him."

Finally it is presumption, selfishness and laziness that will kill the institution. In his folly, self-gratification and corruption, Andrew appears never to have learned that lesson.