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This episode commenced with a isolated photograph, perhaps the most significant ever taken of a royal family member.

Present was the Duke of York, with his arm around a female youth, while an associate smiled knowingly in the background.

Lacking that photograph, captured at a social event in 2001, it would have been difficult to accept the claims of a teenager who stated she was trafficked across the sea and compelled to have brief relations with a individual of the royal family?

A curious, telling action by someone who had openly claimed to have never known about her, asserted he could no have had intimate contact with her, and yet provided a substantial sum of his mother's money to settle a protracted court action.

A Long Period of Controversy

In this context, conversations of the monarchy acting swiftly to sever ties with Andrew are inaccurate. This affair has continued for the largest portion of 15 years since that image, and a further photo of Andrew walking amiably with a disgraced financier came to light.

• Self-importance: How long did his family members, perhaps even his parents, know that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Problematic Connections: They must have realized, if his employees and the authorities were fulfilling their roles, that he had some extremely unsavory companions given he unabashedly hosted them to estates.
• Financial Extravagance: If the family did not know about his sexual proclivities, they certainly knew about his extravagance with public money.

Trips were documented in official documents: chopper transfers from the royal residence to a country club and back again in time for midday meal, exclusive air travel instead of regular transport, all for the benefit of "the frequent flyer".

Existence of Entitlement

Then there was the arrogance which required respect when he walked into a room or the extreme obsession about his royal titles used on his official documents in messages to his friends.

He avoided accountability while his matriarch, who unaccountably spoiled him, was still alive. The Queen did at least strip him of official roles and military positions in the aftermath of his disastrous and, as revealed, mendacious television interview six years ago.

Recent Developments

It was only in the last two weeks that events progressed rapidly, following the release of books giving more disturbing information of his behavior and that of his associates.

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

The public (and the press) were far more perceptive of the monarchy. There was nobody of any significance to defend him, a result of all those years of presumption.

Institutional Fears

The more intelligent monarchical figures realized that. The primary concern is to hand down the crown, if not as previously at least complete and untarnished.

For generations the last 190 years trying to reverse the reputation of past sovereigns, showing they are valuable, accountable and reactive to their citizens.

He was placing all that in jeopardy in an era when submission and privacy is no longer adequate.

Aftermath

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

Presently the removal of designations and the persistent and permanent social disgrace that will afflict Andrew most deeply.

• Downgrading: Lowered to just a private citizen
• Past Example: The primary member to lose his designations in modern times
• Naval Career: Especially hurtful given his role in the engagement

He continues to be a constitutional officer, on paper able to stand in for the monarch, and he is still in the lineage to the crown, but none of these will ever come to pass.

What Lies Ahead

Can persons he encounters still show respect to him? Might they still make mistakes and call him Your Highness? Will they even say Mr,

Naturally, he is not withdrawing to suburbia, but to the monarchy's extensive estate at a monarchical property.

At that location, he will be supplied by the king with one of the royal residences and given some sort of financial support.

This differs from his prior accommodation, where he paid a minimal lease for more than 20 years, and the county is a bit far, but even so it may not be sufficiently removed.

Outstanding Concerns

Matters remain unresolved. There are still records in the hands of overseas authorities to be made public.

• Governmental Scrutiny: Could parliament seek further action
• Monetary Probe: Or investigate the improper use of state resources
• Judicial Potential: There may even be a police investigation into his actions

Perhaps for the time being the reputational impact to the crown is restricted. The statement from the royal household was clearly that the revocation of honorifics was what the sovereign, and notably other senior monarchical figures, sought.

Altered Approach

The cessation of illusion that Andrew was acting willingly. And, significantly, the brief statement showed plainly that the institution were siding with the victim's version of occurrences.

Even more, for the first time they eventually showed concern for the victims: "The censures are considered essential, notwithstanding the truth that he persists in refuting the accusations against him."

In the end it is entitlement, self-interest and inactivity that will destroy the monarchy. In his stupidity, self-indulgence and venality, Andrew seems never to have grasped that truth.