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The saga started with a solitary photograph, perhaps the most impactful ever taken of a royal family member.

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

Absent that photograph, taken at a party in 2001, few would have credited the allegations of a young woman who declared she was trafficked across the ocean and obliged to have cursory sexual encounters with a prince of the royal family?

A curious, revealing move by someone who had openly claimed to have never been aware of her, said he could never have had intimate contact with her, and yet provided millions of family funds to avert a drawn-out court action.

Over a Decade of Disgrace

Considering this, conversations of the monarchy acting firmly to sever ties with Andrew are inaccurate. This affair has continued for the largest portion of 15 years since that picture, and another photo of Andrew walking amiably with a convicted sex offender surfaced.

• Arrogance: How long did his siblings, maybe even his relatives, understand that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have realized, if his staff and the police were doing their jobs, that he had some highly questionable associates given he openly invited them to royal residences.
• Monetary Excess: If the family did not know about his intimate behaviors, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with public money.

Journeys were printed in royal annual reports: private aircraft transfers from the palace to a golf course and back again in time for lunch, chartered planes instead of regular transport, all for the benefit of "the travel enthusiast".

A Life of Privilege

Additionally the entitlement which expected subservience when he appeared in a space or the extreme obsession about his royal titles used on his correspondence in communication to his associates.

He could get away with it while his parent, who strangely indulged him, was still alive. The sovereign did at least remove him of official roles and ceremonial ranks in the aftermath of his disastrous and, we now know, deceptive media appearance six years ago.

Recent Developments

Merely in the last fortnight that events progressed rapidly, following the release of accounts giving more disturbing particulars of his actions and that of his associates.

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

Society (and the media) were far more perceptive of the royal family. There was not a single person of any importance to support him, a consequence of all those years of arrogance.

Monarchical Concerns

The more intelligent family members realized that. The primary concern is to hand down the monarchy, if not as heretofore at least complete and unblemished.

Over time the last 190 years trying to undo the reputation of previous monarchs, demonstrating they are valuable, responsible and responsive to their people.

His actions endangered all that in jeopardy in an time when deference and discretion is no longer enough.

Consequences

Ultimately, the well-known indecisive sovereign was pressured more. There was no other option. The royal household had surrendered command of the account.

Currently the stripping of honorifics and the persistent and lifetime social disgrace that will afflict Andrew the most.

• Reduction: Demoted to just a commoner
• Past Example: The initial royal to surrender his designations in contemporary era
• Military Service: Particularly stinging given his duty in the conflict

He remains a constitutional officer, in principle able to act for the sovereign, and he is still in the succession to the throne, but not any of these will truly occur.

Future Prospects

Do individuals he comes across still acknowledge him? Might they still forget themselves and call him Your Highness? Might they say Mr,

Certainly, he is not retiring to suburbia, but to the sovereign's vast estate at a monarchical property.

There, he will be furnished by the monarch with one of the grace and favour houses and given some sort of private allowance.

This differs from his former home, where he paid a nominal lease for more than 20 years, and the county is a bit far, but even so it may not be adequate distance.

Outstanding Concerns

The situation continues. There are still files in the hands of overseas authorities to be made public.

• Parliamentary Interest: Will legislators seek further action
• Monetary Probe: Or scrutinize the improper use of state resources
• Legal Possibility: There may even be a police investigation into his actions

Possibly for the present the institutional damage to the monarchy is contained. The statement from the palace was evidently that the stripping of titles was what the king, and particularly other senior family members, wanted.

Altered Approach

An end to pretence that Andrew was making the choice himself. And, remarkably, the short communication showed evidently that the royals were aligning with the complainant's narrative of occurrences.

Even more, for the premiere occasion they ultimately showed regard for the survivors: "These actions are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the truth that he maintains his innocence of the claims against him."

Finally it is entitlement, self-interest and inactivity that will undermine the monarchy. In his foolishness, self-indulgence and venality, Andrew appears never to have grasped that truth.