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The saga started with a solitary photograph, arguably the most impactful ever snapped of a member of the monarchy.

There stood the Baron Killyleagh, arm-in-arm a female youth, while an associate beamed conspiratorially in the backdrop.

Without that image, taken at a gathering in 2001, few would have credited the allegations of a teenager who stated she was trafficked across the ocean and obliged to have perfunctory intimate contact with a member of the royal bloodline?

An odd, revealing gesture by someone who had openly claimed to have no known about her, said he could not have had relations with her, and yet handed over millions of family funds to settle a protracted lawsuit.

Years of Controversy

Considering this, talk of the monarchy acting decisively to cut Andrew off are wide of the mark. This scandal has continued for the better part of 15 years since that image, and an additional image of Andrew ambling congenially with a notorious individual emerged.

• Self-importance: For what duration did his family members, maybe even his relatives, realize that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have realized, if his employees and the law enforcement were doing their jobs, that he had some highly questionable associates given he unabashedly hosted them to royal residences.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the household did not know about his intimate behaviors, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with state resources.

Trips were documented in public records: chopper transfers from the estate to a golf course and back again in time for lunch, private flights instead of commercial flights, all for the convenience of "Airmiles Andy".

Existence of Entitlement

Furthermore the arrogance which required deference when he walked into a space or the profound awareness about his honorifics used on his official documents in communication to his friends.

He avoided accountability while his mother, who inexplicably indulged him, was still alive. The sovereign did at least strip him of official roles and military positions in the consequence of his catastrophic and, we now know, deceptive public statement six years ago.

Recent Developments

Merely in the last two weeks that events sped up, following the publication of biographical works giving more disturbing particulars of his conduct and that of his connections.

Further disclosures have again highlighted Andrew's belief that he could avoid being untruthful about his interaction with a notorious figure.

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

Monarchical Concerns

The wiser royals realized that. The primary concern is to pass on the institution, if not as heretofore at least whole and untarnished.

For generations the last 190 years trying to undo the image of previous monarchs, proving they are useful, dutiful and reactive to their subjects.

His actions endangered all that in danger in an time when respect and secrecy is no longer enough.

Aftermath

Ultimately, the well-known hesitant monarch was prodded additional. There was no other option. The palace had surrendered command of the account.

Currently the loss of honorifics and the continued and lifetime public humiliation that will pain Andrew the most.

• Downgrading: Lowered to just Mr Mountbatten-Windsor
• Past Example: The first member to forfeit his titles in contemporary era
• Military Service: Particularly stinging given his duty in the Falklands war

He is still a constitutional officer, in principle able to act for the monarch, and he is still eighth in line to the throne, but none of these will actually come to pass.

Future Prospects

Will people he comes across still acknowledge him? Could they still forget themselves and call him Your Highness? Will they even say Andrew,

Naturally, he is not moving to an ordinary town, but to the monarchy's large property at a monarchical property.

At that location, he will be provided by the sovereign with one of the royal residences and given some form of personal stipend.

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

Pending Matters

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

• Governmental Scrutiny: Could parliament request additional information
• Monetary Probe: Or investigate the misuse of public money
• Judicial Potential: There may even be a police investigation into his conduct

Maybe for the time being the institutional damage to the institution is restricted. The message from the royal household was evidently that the stripping of titles was what the king, and especially other senior royals, sought.

A Shift in Position

An end to deception that Andrew was making the choice himself. And, significantly, the short statement showed plainly that the royals were siding with the complainant's account of events.

Even more, for the premiere occasion they finally showed consideration for the affected individuals: "The censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the reality that he persists in refuting the allegations against him."

Finally it is entitlement, self-seeking and inactivity that will destroy the monarchy. In his foolishness, personal excess and greed, Andrew appears never to have understood that truth.