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The saga started with a solitary photograph, arguably the most impactful ever snapped of a royal family member.

Present was the Earl of Inverness, arm-in-arm a young woman, while a companion beamed knowingly in the backdrop.

Lacking that image, taken at a party in 2001, few would have credited the allegations of a young woman who stated she was trafficked across the sea and obliged to have brief relations with a member of the monarchy?

An odd, indicative move by someone who had publicly asserted to have not heard of her, claimed he could never have had sex with her, and yet handed over a large amount of monarchical funds to settle a drawn-out lawsuit.

A Long Period of Scandal

Considering this, conversations of the royals acting decisively to sever ties with Andrew are misguided. This scandal has continued for the largest portion of 15 years since that image, and a further photo of Andrew strolling amiably with a disgraced financier emerged.

• Hubris: To what extent did his brothers and sisters, perhaps even his mother and father, realize that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Problematic Connections: They must have understood, if his employees and the police were fulfilling their roles, that he had some highly questionable associates given he openly welcomed them to royal residences.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the household did not know about his sexual proclivities, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with state resources.

Trips were printed in royal annual reports: private aircraft transfers from the palace to a golf course and back again in time for midday meal, chartered planes instead of regular transport, all for the comfort of "Airmiles Andy".

World of Deference

Furthermore the arrogance which demanded deference when he walked into a space or the profound consciousness about his royal titles used on his letterheads in letters to his associates.

He could get away with it while his mother, who inexplicably indulged him, was still surviving. The monarch did at least remove him of royal responsibilities and military positions in the aftermath of his ill-fated and, we now know, mendacious media appearance six years ago.

Latest Events

Merely in the last two weeks that events sped up, following the release of accounts giving more disturbing details of his conduct and that of his associates.

More information have again exposed Andrew's thinking that he could escape lying about his interaction with a disgraced individual.

People (and the media) were far in advance of the royal family. There was nobody of any significance to support him, a outcome of all those years of presumption.

Royal Worries

The wiser family members recognized that. The primary concern is to hand down the crown, if not as previously at least complete and unstained.

They have spent the last 190 years trying to overcome the reputation of past sovereigns, showing they are valuable, responsible and responsive to their people.

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

The Fallout

Ultimately, the well-known uncertain king was pushed additional. There was no other option. The royal household had lost control of the account.

Now it is the loss of titles and the persistent and life-long personal shame that will pain Andrew most deeply.

• Reduction: Lowered to just a private citizen
• Historical Precedent: The first royal to forfeit his titles in recent history
• Naval Career: Notably painful given his service in the conflict

He is still a counsellor of state, theoretically able to substitute for the king, and he is still in the succession to the monarchy, but not any of these will truly come to pass.

Coming Developments

Will people he meets still show respect to him? Could they still make mistakes and call him Sir? Will they even say Mr,

Naturally, he is not retiring to suburbia, but to the sovereign's extensive grounds at a monarchical property.

In that place, he will be furnished by the king with one of the grace and favour houses and given some type of financial support.

It is not his prior accommodation, where he paid a nominal payment for more than 20 years, and the area is a bit distant, but even so it may not be adequate distance.

Outstanding Concerns

This is not over. There are still documents in the possession of US Congress to be disclosed.

• Governmental Scrutiny: Could lawmakers request additional information
• Monetary Probe: Or scrutinize the improper use of public money
• Judicial Potential: There may even be a criminal probe into his conduct

Possibly for the present the reputational impact to the institution is restricted. The narrative from the royal household was evidently that the revocation of titles was what the monarch, and notably other senior family members, sought.

Altered Approach

An end to illusion that Andrew was doing it voluntarily. And, remarkably, the brief announcement showed evidently that the institution were siding with the complainant's narrative of occurrences.

Even more, for the initial instance they finally showed regard for the survivors: "The measures are judged required, regardless of the fact that he maintains his innocence of the allegations against him."

Finally it is entitlement, self-seeking and indolence that will undermine the crown. In his folly, self-indulgence and greed, Andrew gives the impression never to have grasped that truth.