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The saga started with a single photograph, perhaps the most consequential ever snapped of a member of the monarchy.

Present was the Duke of York, with his arm around a teenage girl, while an associate beamed knowingly in the backdrop.

Lacking that snapshot, shot at a social event in 2001, who would have believed the assertions of a teenager who stated she was trafficked across the sea and compelled to have brief relations with a member of the monarchy?

A strange, indicative gesture by someone who had publicly stated to have not known about her, said he could never have had intimate contact with her, and yet handed over a large amount of monarchical funds to settle a protracted lawsuit.

Years of Scandal

In this context, discussions of the royal family acting firmly to distance themselves from Andrew are misguided. This controversy has persisted for the majority of 15 years since that photograph, and another image of Andrew ambling pleasantly with a convicted sex offender surfaced.

• Self-importance: To what extent did his siblings, perhaps even his mother and father, realize that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Questionable Associations: They must have realized, if his employees and the authorities were fulfilling their roles, that he had some extremely unsavory companions given he openly invited them to royal residences.
• Financial Extravagance: If the household did not know about his intimate behaviors, they certainly knew about his extravagance with taxpayer funds.

Journeys were documented in royal annual reports: private aircraft flights from the palace to a country club and back again in time for midday meal, chartered planes instead of commercial flights, all for the comfort of "the travel enthusiast".

A Life of Privilege

Furthermore the presumption which demanded subservience when he entered a room or the extreme consciousness about his designations used on his official documents in communication to his associates.

He could get away with it while his parent, who unaccountably spoiled him, was still living. The monarch did at least remove him of official roles and military positions in the wake of his catastrophic and, we now know, deceptive media appearance six years ago.

Latest Events

It was only in the last two weeks that events progressed rapidly, following the publication of accounts giving more grim details of his actions and that of his connections.

More information have again exposed Andrew's belief that he could get away with deceiving about his contact with a disgraced individual.

The public (and the press) were far ahead of the royal family. There was no one of any significance to defend him, a outcome of all those years of arrogance.

Monarchical Concerns

The more astute monarchical figures realized that. The one imperative is to transfer the crown, if not as heretofore at least complete and unblemished.

They have spent the last 190 years trying to undo the reputation of previous monarchs, proving they are useful, accountable and reactive to their subjects.

He was placing all that in jeopardy in an time when respect and privacy is no longer sufficient.

Aftermath

Ultimately, the notoriously hesitant sovereign was prodded more. There was little choice. The institution had lost control of the narrative.

Currently the stripping of honorifics and the persistent and life-long social disgrace that will hurt Andrew the most.

• Demotion: Reduced to just a private citizen
• Prior Instance: The first member to surrender his titles in contemporary era
• Armed Forces: Notably hurtful given his role in the Falklands war

He continues to be a counsellor of state, in principle able to act for the sovereign, and he is still in the lineage to the throne, but neither of these will truly happen.

Coming Developments

Do individuals he encounters still acknowledge him? Might they still slip up and call him Prince? Will they even say Mr,

Of course, he is not withdrawing to an ordinary town, but to the sovereign's extensive estate at a monarchical property.

There, he will be supplied by the monarch with one of the estate properties and given some sort of financial support.

This differs from his prior accommodation, where he paid a token rent for more than 20 years, and the area is a bit far, but even so it may not be far enough.

Pending Matters

Matters remain unresolved. There are still files in the hands of overseas authorities to be made public.

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

Possibly for the time being the institutional damage to the crown is restricted. The message from the royal household was clearly that the stripping of designations was what the sovereign, and especially other senior royals, desired.

Altered Approach

The cessation of pretence that Andrew was acting willingly. And, significantly, the short announcement showed clearly that the institution were siding with the victim's account of occurrences.

Additionally, for the premiere occasion they finally showed regard for the victims: "These actions are deemed necessary, despite the truth that he continues to deny the accusations against him."

In the end it is entitlement, self-interest and indolence that will destroy the crown. In his stupidity, self-indulgence and greed, Andrew gives the impression never to have understood that reality.