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It all began with a isolated photograph, possibly the most significant ever snapped of a individual from the royal household.

There stood the Earl of Inverness, with his arm around a female youth, while another individual beamed suggestively in the rear.

Without that image, shot at a social event in 2001, who would have believed the assertions of a adolescent who said she was moved across the sea and obliged to have cursory relations with a individual of the monarchy?

A strange, revealing move by someone who had openly stated to have never heard of her, said he could no have had relations with her, and yet handed over millions of family resources to avert a long-delayed legal case.

A Long Period of Disgrace

In this context, discussions of the royals acting swiftly to sever ties with Andrew are wide of the mark. This controversy has persisted for the majority of 15 years since that image, and another photo of Andrew walking amiably with a convicted sex offender emerged.

• Hubris: To what extent did his brothers and sisters, perhaps even his mother and father, know that Andrew was so presumptuous?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have understood, if his staff and the police were doing their jobs, that he had some deeply disreputable associates given he unabashedly welcomed them to royal residences.
• Monetary Excess: If the family did not know about his intimate behaviors, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with state resources.

Journeys were documented in public records: chopper flights from the estate to a country club and back again in time for dining, private flights instead of commercial flights, all for the convenience of "the frequent flyer".

Existence of Entitlement

Additionally the entitlement which expected respect when he entered a space or the extreme consciousness about his designations used on his correspondence in messages to his friends.

He could get away with it while his mother, who strangely indulged him, was still alive. The Queen did at least strip him of royal responsibilities and military positions in the consequence of his disastrous and, it is now clear, deceptive television interview six years ago.

Recent Developments

It was only in the last two weeks that events sped up, following the publication of accounts giving more troubling details of his behavior and that of his connections.

Additional revelations have again highlighted Andrew's thinking that he could avoid being untruthful about his interaction with a disgraced individual.

People (and the media) were far more perceptive of the royals. There was nobody of any significance to support him, a result of all those years of hubris.

Royal Worries

The more astute monarchical figures realized that. The key objective is to transfer the monarchy, if not as before at least complete and untarnished.

For generations the last 190 years trying to overcome the legacy of earlier rulers, showing they are beneficial, dutiful and attentive to their citizens.

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

Consequences

Ultimately, the notoriously uncertain sovereign was pushed further. There was no other option. The institution had relinquished authority of the story.

Presently the stripping of designations and the ongoing and lifetime personal shame that will pain Andrew the most.

• Downgrading: Reduced to just a private citizen
• Historical Precedent: The first royal to lose his titles in recent history
• Naval Career: Particularly hurtful given his duty in the engagement

He is still a royal advisor, theoretically able to substitute for the king, and he is still in the succession to the throne, but none of these will actually come to pass.

What Lies Ahead

Can persons he comes across still show respect to him? Could they still make mistakes and call him Your Highness? Will they even say Mr,

Naturally, he is not moving to a common area, but to the royal family's large estate at a monarchical property.

At that location, he will be provided by the king with one of the royal residences and given some sort of private allowance.

It is not his former home, where he paid a nominal payment for more than 20 years, and the county is a bit remote, but even so it may not be far enough.

Unresolved Issues

This is not over. There are still documents in the possession of overseas authorities to be revealed.

• Political Pressure: Will legislators seek further action
• Financial Investigation: Or examine the waste of state resources
• Judicial Potential: There may even be a law enforcement inquiry into his actions

Perhaps for the present the institutional damage to the monarchy is limited. The message from the institution was evidently that the removal of honorifics was what the monarch, and particularly other senior royals, desired.

Altered Approach

No more pretence that Andrew was doing it voluntarily. And, remarkably, the concise announcement showed clearly that the monarchy were aligning with the complainant's account of incidents.

Even more, for the premiere occasion they eventually showed consideration for the victims: "The measures are considered essential, notwithstanding the truth that he maintains his innocence of the accusations against him."

In the end it is arrogance, self-seeking and laziness that will kill the monarchy. In his folly, self-gratification and corruption, Andrew gives the impression never to have understood that truth.