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It all began with a single photograph, perhaps the most impactful ever taken of a individual from the royal household.

There stood the Baron Killyleagh, with his arm around a teenage girl, while another individual grinned conspiratorially in the background.

Absent that photograph, captured at a social event in 2001, it would have been difficult to accept the assertions of a adolescent who declared she was transported across the ocean and compelled to have cursory intimate contact with a individual of the royal bloodline?

A curious, indicative action by someone who had overtly stated to have not heard of her, said he could not have had sex with her, and yet provided a large amount of his mother's resources to resolve a long-delayed court action.

Years of Disgrace

Considering this, conversations of the royal family acting firmly to cut Andrew off are inaccurate. This affair has persisted for the largest portion of 15 years since that picture, and an additional image of Andrew strolling amiably with a convicted sex offender emerged.

• Hubris: How long did his siblings, possibly even his parents, realize that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Questionable Associations: They must have known, if his employees and the authorities were fulfilling their roles, that he had some deeply disreputable companions given he openly hosted them to royal residences.
• Financial Extravagance: If the family did not know about his sexual proclivities, they certainly knew about his extravagance with public money.

Trips were documented in public records: private aircraft flights from the palace to a country club and back again in time for lunch, chartered planes instead of regular transport, all for the benefit of "the frequent flyer".

A Life of Privilege

Furthermore the entitlement which demanded deference when he appeared in a space or the supreme awareness about his honorifics used on his correspondence in messages to his friends.

He managed to escape consequences while his parent, who inexplicably indulged him, was still surviving. The Queen did at least revoke him of public duties and ceremonial ranks in the aftermath of his catastrophic and, we now know, untruthful media appearance six years ago.

Recent Developments

Just in the last two weeks that events sped up, following the publication of accounts giving more troubling details of his conduct and that of his associates.

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

People (and the journalists) were far more perceptive of the royals. There was nobody of any importance to defend him, a result of all those years of arrogance.

Monarchical Concerns

The more intelligent royals realized that. The one imperative is to hand down the institution, if not as before at least intact and unstained.

They have spent the last 190 years trying to reverse the image of past sovereigns, demonstrating they are valuable, responsible and responsive to their people.

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

Consequences

Ultimately, the well-known indecisive king was prodded additional. There was little choice. The institution had relinquished authority of the account.

Currently the loss of designations and the persistent and lifetime public humiliation that will afflict Andrew the most.

• Demotion: Reduced to just Mr Mountbatten-Windsor
• Historical Precedent: The initial monarch to lose his titles in contemporary era
• Naval Career: Especially painful given his role 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 throne, but neither of these will truly occur.

What Lies Ahead

Do individuals he comes across still defer to him? Could they still forget themselves and call him Prince? Will they even say Sir,

Naturally, he is not moving to an ordinary town, but to the royal family's extensive property at Sandringham.

At that location, he will be provided by the king with one of the grace and favour houses and given some form of private allowance.

This is not his previous residence, where he paid a minimal lease for more than 20 years, and the county is a bit far, but even so it may not be far enough.

Unresolved Issues

Matters remain unresolved. There are still documents in the custody of American legislators to be made public.

• Political Pressure: Might legislators request additional information
• Financial Investigation: Or scrutinize the misuse of taxpayer funds
• Judicial Potential: There may even be a police investigation into his behavior

Maybe for the moment the reputational impact to the crown is restricted. The statement from the institution was plainly that the removal of honorifics was what the king, and notably other senior family members, wanted.

Altered Approach

An end to deception that Andrew was acting willingly. And, remarkably, the short statement showed plainly that the institution were aligning with the victim's version of incidents.

Furthermore, for the premiere occasion they eventually showed concern for the victims: "These actions are judged required, notwithstanding the truth that he maintains his innocence of the claims against him."

Finally it is presumption, self-seeking and indolence that will kill the institution. In his foolishness, self-indulgence and greed, Andrew appears never to have learned that lesson.