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It all began with a isolated photograph, possibly the most significant ever snapped of a member of the monarchy.

Present was the Duke of York, standing closely beside a young woman, while an associate beamed suggestively in the backdrop.

Absent that image, captured at a gathering in 2001, few would have credited the allegations of a adolescent who said she was moved across the Atlantic and forced to have perfunctory relations with a prince of the monarchy?

A curious, indicative move by someone who had openly asserted to have not heard of her, said he could no have had intimate contact with her, and yet paid a large amount of monarchical money to resolve a drawn-out court action.

Over a Decade of Scandal

Against this backdrop, talk of the royals acting decisively to sever ties with Andrew are inaccurate. This controversy has persisted for the largest portion of 15 years since that picture, and another photo of Andrew strolling pleasantly with a disgraced financier surfaced.

• Self-importance: To what extent did his siblings, maybe even his relatives, understand that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have realized, if his employees and the authorities were fulfilling their roles, that he had some extremely unsavory companions given he openly hosted them to estates.
• Financial Extravagance: If the household did not know about his intimate behaviors, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with public money.

Travel were documented in royal annual reports: private aircraft flights from the palace to a country club and back again in time for lunch, exclusive air travel instead of regular transport, all for the benefit of "the frequent flyer".

A Life of Privilege

Additionally the arrogance which expected respect when he entered a area or the profound obsession about his royal titles used on his correspondence in letters to his personal acquaintances.

He avoided accountability while his mother, who strangely pampered him, was still living. The monarch did at least strip him of official roles and honorary colonelcies in the wake of his disastrous and, we now know, deceptive media appearance six years ago.

Latest Events

It was only in the last two weeks that events accelerated, following the release of books giving more grim information of his conduct and that of his connections.

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

Society (and the journalists) were far more perceptive of the royals. There was nobody of any consequence to speak up for him, a outcome of all those years of presumption.

Monarchical Concerns

The more astute family members recognized that. The key objective is to pass on the crown, if not as previously at least complete and unstained.

Over time the last 190 years trying to undo the reputation of past sovereigns, proving they are useful, responsible and responsive to their people.

Andrew was putting all that in jeopardy in an age when deference and privacy is no longer sufficient.

Consequences

Finally, the notoriously hesitant sovereign was pressured more. There was no other option. The palace had relinquished authority of the account.

Currently the loss of designations and the continued and lifetime personal shame that will pain Andrew the most.

• Demotion: Demoted to just Mr Mountbatten-Windsor
• Historical Precedent: The first member to lose his honorifics in contemporary era
• Armed Forces: Especially painful given his role in the engagement

He continues to be a royal advisor, on paper able to stand in for the monarch, and he is still eighth in line to the monarchy, but not any of these will truly come to pass.

Coming Developments

Can persons he comes across still show respect to him? Will they still make mistakes and call him Prince? Will they even say Mr,

Of course, he is not moving to suburbia, but to the sovereign's extensive grounds at a monarchical property.

There, he will be furnished by the king with one of the grace and favour houses and given some form of financial support.

This differs from his former home, where he paid a minimal lease for more than 20 years, and Norfolk is a bit remote, but even so it may not be adequate distance.

Outstanding Concerns

The situation continues. There are still files in the possession of US Congress to be made public.

• Political Pressure: Will lawmakers request additional information
• Fiscal Review: Or investigate the misuse of taxpayer funds
• Judicial Potential: There may even be a police investigation into his actions

Possibly for the moment the institutional damage to the monarchy is contained. The narrative from the institution was clearly that the stripping of designations was what the sovereign, and especially other senior monarchical figures, wanted.

A Shift in Position

The cessation of illusion that Andrew was acting willingly. And, remarkably, the brief communication showed plainly that the royals were siding with the victim's version of incidents.

Additionally, for the initial instance they ultimately showed regard for the affected individuals: "The measures are considered essential, regardless of the truth that he continues to deny the claims against him."

In the end it is entitlement, self-interest and laziness that will undermine the crown. In his stupidity, personal excess and venality, Andrew appears never to have learned that reality.