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The saga started with a single photograph, possibly the most consequential ever taken of a individual from the royal household.

Present was the Earl of Inverness, with his arm around a young woman, while another individual grinned knowingly in the background.

Lacking that image, shot at a party in 2001, it would have been difficult to accept the allegations of a teenager who declared she was transported across the sea and obliged to have cursory intimate contact with a individual of the royal family?

A strange, revealing gesture by someone who had publicly claimed to have no known about her, claimed he could not have had sex with her, and yet handed over millions of family funds to avert a long-delayed legal case.

A Long Period of Disgrace

In this context, talk of the royals acting firmly to distance themselves from Andrew are wide of the mark. This scandal has persisted for the better part of 15 years since that photograph, and another snapshot of Andrew ambling amiably with a convicted sex offender emerged.

• Self-importance: For what duration did his siblings, possibly even his mother and father, realize that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Questionable Associations: They must have understood, if his aides and the police were performing their duties, that he had some extremely unsavory associates given he openly hosted them to royal residences.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the family did not know about his sexual proclivities, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with state resources.

Trips were documented in official documents: helicopter travel from the palace to a country club and back again in time for lunch, exclusive air travel instead of scheduled services, all for the comfort of "the frequent flyer".

World of Deference

Then there was the arrogance which expected deference when he appeared in a space or the supreme consciousness about his royal titles used on his correspondence in communication to his personal acquaintances.

He managed to escape consequences while his mother, who strangely indulged him, was still surviving. The Queen did at least remove him of public duties and military positions in the consequence of his disastrous and, as revealed, mendacious public statement six years ago.

Recent Developments

It was only in the last fortnight that events sped up, following the publication of biographical works giving more grim details of his behavior and that of his connections.

More information have again revealed Andrew's thinking that he could avoid lying about his contact with a convicted criminal.

The public (and the press) were far in advance of the royals. There was not a single person of any importance to support him, a consequence of all those years of hubris.

Institutional Fears

The wiser monarchical figures recognized that. The key objective is to transfer the institution, if not as previously at least whole and unblemished.

Over time the last 190 years trying to reverse the legacy of earlier rulers, showing they are useful, dutiful and reactive to their people.

His actions endangered all that in jeopardy in an age when submission and discretion is no longer enough.

Aftermath

Ultimately, the notoriously indecisive king was prodded additional. There was no other option. The royal household had relinquished authority of the account.

Currently the loss of designations and the continued and permanent social disgrace that will pain Andrew the most.

• Demotion: Demoted to just a private citizen
• Historical Precedent: The primary monarch to surrender his designations in recent history
• Military Service: Especially hurtful given his service in the engagement

He remains a counsellor of state, theoretically able to substitute for the monarch, and he is still eighth in line to the crown, but not any of these will truly happen.

What Lies Ahead

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

Of course, he is not retiring to an ordinary town, but to the sovereign's vast property at Sandringham.

At that location, he will be supplied by the sovereign with one of the estate properties and given some sort of personal stipend.

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

Unresolved Issues

Matters remain unresolved. There are still records in the custody of American legislators to be disclosed.

• Parliamentary Interest: Could parliament seek further action
• Monetary Probe: Or investigate the misuse of state resources
• Criminal Investigation: There may even be a police investigation into his actions

Maybe for the moment the reputational impact to the crown is contained. The statement from the institution was evidently that the revocation of honorifics was what the sovereign, and particularly other senior monarchical figures, wanted.

Changed Stance

An end to pretence that Andrew was doing it voluntarily. And, significantly, the short communication showed plainly that the monarchy were siding with the complainant's version of occurrences.

Furthermore, for the initial instance they finally showed regard for the survivors: "The measures are judged required, despite the reality that he maintains his innocence of the allegations against him."

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