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

In the frame appeared the Baron Killyleagh, standing closely beside a young woman, while another individual beamed knowingly in the rear.

Without that photograph, taken at a social event in 2001, it would have been difficult to accept the allegations of a young woman who stated she was moved across the ocean and forced to have cursory sexual encounters with a member of the royal bloodline?

An odd, indicative move by someone who had overtly claimed to have not known about her, asserted he could not have had relations with her, and yet handed over millions of monarchical resources to resolve a protracted court action.

A Long Period of Scandal

In this context, conversations of the royals acting firmly to cut Andrew off are inaccurate. This affair has persisted for the better part of 15 years since that picture, and a further snapshot of Andrew ambling congenially with a disgraced financier emerged.

• Self-importance: For what duration did his family members, perhaps even his relatives, realize that Andrew was so presumptuous?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have understood, if his aides and the authorities were performing their duties, that he had some deeply disreputable associates given he openly welcomed them to palaces.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the monarchy did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with taxpayer funds.

Journeys were listed in official documents: chopper transfers from the estate to a sporting venue and back again in time for lunch, private flights instead of regular transport, all for the comfort of "the frequent flyer".

Existence of Entitlement

Furthermore the entitlement which required subservience when he walked into a area or the extreme obsession about his designations used on his letterheads in letters to his friends.

He avoided accountability while his parent, who strangely indulged him, was still living. The Queen did at least strip him of official roles and ceremonial ranks in the consequence of his catastrophic and, as revealed, untruthful public statement six years ago.

Current Situation

It was only in the last 14 days that events sped up, following the release of books giving more troubling details of his conduct and that of his companions.

Additional revelations have again highlighted Andrew's belief that he could escape deceiving about his relationship with a convicted criminal.

People (and the press) were far ahead of the royal family. There was nobody of any consequence to support him, a result of all those years of arrogance.

Royal Worries

The more intelligent royals recognized that. The primary concern is to transfer the monarchy, if not as previously at least intact and untarnished.

They have spent the last 190 years trying to reverse the image of earlier rulers, demonstrating they are useful, dutiful and attentive to their citizens.

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

The Fallout

Finally, the notoriously hesitant sovereign was prodded more. There was no other option. The royal household had lost control of the account.

Presently the loss of titles and the continued and life-long personal shame that will hurt Andrew the most.

• Downgrading: Lowered to just Mr Mountbatten-Windsor
• Prior Instance: The primary royal to surrender his titles in modern times
• Armed Forces: Particularly stinging given his duty in the conflict

He is still a constitutional officer, on paper able to substitute for the monarch, and he is still in the lineage to the monarchy, but none of these will actually happen.

Future Prospects

Do individuals he meets still defer to him? Will they still forget themselves and call him Prince? Would they say Sir,

Of course, he is not withdrawing to suburbia, but to the sovereign's extensive property at Sandringham.

At that location, he will be supplied by the king with one of the estate properties and given some type of private allowance.

This is not his prior accommodation, where he paid a minimal payment for more than 20 years, and Norfolk is a bit distant, but even so it may not be sufficiently removed.

Pending Matters

The situation continues. There are still documents in the possession of American legislators to be disclosed.

• Political Pressure: Could lawmakers seek further action
• Monetary Probe: Or examine the improper use of state resources
• Criminal Investigation: There may even be a criminal probe into his behavior

Maybe for the moment the reputational impact to the crown is limited. The message from the palace was evidently that the removal of honorifics was what the sovereign, and notably other senior family members, wanted.

A Shift in Position

An end to deception that Andrew was doing it voluntarily. And, remarkably, the brief announcement showed evidently that the monarchy were siding with the accuser's account of incidents.

Additionally, for the initial instance they finally showed consideration for the victims: "The censures are deemed necessary, despite the fact that he persists in refuting the claims against him."

Finally it is presumption, self-seeking and inactivity that will undermine the institution. In his folly, self-indulgence and greed, Andrew appears never to have grasped that truth.