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The saga started with a isolated photograph, arguably the most impactful ever taken of a individual from the royal household.

There stood the Baron Killyleagh, with his arm around a young woman, while an associate grinned suggestively in the background.

Absent that photograph, shot at a social event in 2001, who would have believed the allegations of a young woman who said she was transported across the Atlantic and obliged to have brief sexual encounters with a member of the royal family?

An odd, revealing action by someone who had openly claimed to have never known about her, said he could no have had intimate contact with her, and yet provided millions of monarchical funds to settle a drawn-out legal case.

Years of Disgrace

In this context, discussions of the royal family acting firmly to distance themselves from Andrew are wide of the mark. This affair has continued for the largest portion of 15 years since that photograph, and a further snapshot of Andrew walking pleasantly with a disgraced financier emerged.

• Self-importance: How long did his family members, possibly even his relatives, realize that Andrew was so presumptuous?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have understood, if his employees and the authorities were performing their duties, that he had some highly questionable companions given he openly welcomed them to palaces.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the monarchy did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his overspending with public money.

Trips were printed in public records: chopper flights from the estate to a sporting venue and back again in time for lunch, chartered planes instead of regular transport, all for the benefit of "Airmiles Andy".

Existence of Entitlement

Additionally the arrogance which demanded subservience when he appeared in a space or the profound consciousness about his honorifics used on his letterheads in communication to his personal acquaintances.

He managed to escape consequences while his matriarch, who inexplicably pampered him, was still living. The monarch did at least remove him of public duties and ceremonial ranks in the consequence of his ill-fated and, it is now clear, mendacious public statement six years ago.

Current Situation

Merely in the last two weeks that events progressed rapidly, following the release of books giving more troubling particulars of his actions and that of his associates.

Additional revelations have again revealed Andrew's belief that he could avoid being untruthful about his contact with a notorious figure.

Society (and the press) were far in advance of the royals. There was no one of any importance to speak up for him, a outcome of all those years of arrogance.

Royal Worries

The more intelligent family members understood that. The one imperative is to pass on the crown, if not as before at least complete and unstained.

Over time the last 190 years trying to reverse the image of earlier rulers, demonstrating they are valuable, responsible and reactive to their citizens.

Andrew was putting all that in peril in an era when deference and discretion is no longer sufficient.

The Fallout

Finally, the notoriously indecisive monarch was prodded further. There was little choice. The institution had relinquished authority of the story.

Currently the loss of designations and the continued and life-long social disgrace that will pain Andrew the most.

• Reduction: Lowered to just a commoner
• Past Example: The initial member to surrender his honorifics in contemporary era
• Armed Forces: Particularly painful given his service in the engagement

He remains a constitutional officer, theoretically able to substitute for the monarch, and he is still in the lineage to the throne, but none of these will actually happen.

What Lies Ahead

Can persons he comes across still show respect to him? Might they still forget themselves and call him Prince? Would they say Sir,

Naturally, he is not moving to an ordinary town, but to the sovereign's extensive grounds at Sandringham.

At that location, he will be furnished by the king with one of the estate properties and given some sort of financial support.

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

Pending Matters

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

• Governmental Scrutiny: Might legislators demand more
• Financial Investigation: Or investigate the improper use of state resources
• Criminal Investigation: There may even be a law enforcement inquiry into his behavior

Perhaps for the moment the reputational impact to the monarchy is restricted. The statement from the institution was clearly that the stripping of designations was what the sovereign, and particularly other senior monarchical figures, sought.

Changed Stance

The cessation of pretence that Andrew was acting willingly. And, notably, the brief announcement showed evidently that the monarchy were supporting the complainant's version of occurrences.

Even more, for the premiere occasion they finally showed consideration for the victims: "The censures are deemed necessary, despite the truth that he persists in refuting the accusations against him."

Finally it is presumption, selfishness and indolence that will kill the crown. In his folly, self-indulgence and venality, Andrew gives the impression never to have grasped that truth.