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It all began with a solitary photograph, possibly the most impactful ever captured of a individual from the royal household.

In the frame appeared the Earl of Inverness, with his arm around a female youth, while an associate smiled knowingly in the backdrop.

Without that snapshot, taken at a social event in 2001, who would have believed the allegations of a adolescent who said she was transported across the ocean and compelled to have brief intimate contact with a individual of the royal bloodline?

A strange, telling action by someone who had overtly stated to have not been aware of her, said he could no have had relations with her, and yet provided millions of monarchical funds to avert a long-delayed legal case.

Years of Scandal

In this context, conversations of the royals acting swiftly to cut Andrew off are misguided. This controversy has persisted for the better part of 15 years since that image, and another snapshot of Andrew walking amiably with a notorious individual emerged.

• Arrogance: How long did his family members, possibly even his relatives, realize that Andrew was so self-entitled?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have understood, if his staff and the police were fulfilling their roles, that he had some highly questionable friends given he openly welcomed them to palaces.
• Monetary Excess: If the household did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his extravagance with taxpayer funds.

Journeys were printed in royal annual reports: chopper flights from the estate to a sporting venue and back again in time for dining, private flights instead of commercial flights, all for the comfort of "Airmiles Andy".

A Life of Privilege

Furthermore the entitlement which expected deference when he appeared in a area or the profound obsession about his designations used on his letterheads in communication to his personal acquaintances.

He managed to escape consequences while his mother, who inexplicably indulged him, was still surviving. The sovereign did at least remove him of official roles and ceremonial ranks in the wake of his catastrophic and, it is now clear, untruthful media appearance six years ago.

Recent Developments

Just in the last 14 days that events accelerated, following the publication of books giving more grim particulars of his actions and that of his associates.

Additional revelations have again revealed Andrew's belief that he could escape lying about his interaction with a notorious figure.

The public (and the media) were far ahead of the monarchy. There was not a single person of any consequence to speak up for him, a result of all those years of hubris.

Monarchical Concerns

The more astute royals realized that. The primary concern is to transfer the monarchy, if not as before at least whole and unblemished.

Over time the last 190 years trying to reverse the reputation of earlier rulers, demonstrating they are valuable, responsible and attentive to their subjects.

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

Aftermath

Finally, the notoriously indecisive monarch was pushed additional. There was little choice. The institution had surrendered command of the account.

Now it is the loss of designations and the ongoing and lifetime public humiliation that will hurt Andrew the most.

• Downgrading: Lowered to just a private citizen
• Historical Precedent: The primary royal to lose his honorifics in contemporary era
• Armed Forces: Notably stinging given his duty in the conflict

He remains a royal advisor, theoretically able to substitute for the sovereign, and he is still in the succession to the crown, but not any of these will truly occur.

Future Prospects

Can persons he encounters still defer to him? Might they still make mistakes and call him Sir? Might they say Sir,

Of course, he is not moving to a common area, but to the monarchy's vast grounds at a monarchical property.

There, he will be furnished by the sovereign with one of the grace and favour houses and given some sort of private allowance.

This is not his former home, where he paid a token rent for more than 20 years, and Norfolk is a bit far, but even so it may not be adequate distance.

Unresolved Issues

Matters remain unresolved. There are still files in the custody of US Congress to be revealed.

• Governmental Scrutiny: Could parliament request additional information
• Fiscal Review: Or scrutinize the waste of state resources
• Criminal Investigation: There may even be a law enforcement inquiry into his conduct

Possibly for the present the reputational impact to the institution is restricted. The message from the palace was clearly that the stripping of honorifics was what the monarch, and particularly other senior family members, wanted.

A Shift in Position

An end to illusion that Andrew was making the choice himself. And, significantly, the brief statement showed plainly that the institution were aligning with the accuser's narrative of incidents.

Even more, for the first time they ultimately showed consideration for the survivors: "These actions are deemed necessary, regardless of the fact that he persists in refuting the allegations against him."

Ultimately it is arrogance, selfishness and inactivity that will undermine the institution. In his stupidity, self-gratification and venality, Andrew seems never to have grasped that truth.