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It all began with a single photograph, arguably the most impactful ever taken of a royal family member.

Present was the Earl of Inverness, with his arm around a female youth, while an associate beamed conspiratorially in the backdrop.

Without that snapshot, taken at a social event in 2001, it would have been difficult to accept the allegations of a young woman who stated she was moved across the ocean and obliged to have cursory intimate contact with a individual of the royal bloodline?

A curious, indicative action by someone who had openly asserted to have never been aware of her, asserted he could no have had relations with her, and yet handed over a large amount of monarchical resources to avert a drawn-out lawsuit.

Over a Decade of Disgrace

In this context, conversations of the royal family acting swiftly to cut Andrew off are misguided. This affair has continued for the largest portion of 15 years since that photograph, and an additional image of Andrew ambling amiably with a notorious individual emerged.

• Hubris: For what duration did his brothers and sisters, possibly even his mother and father, realize that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have understood, if his staff and the authorities were fulfilling their roles, that he had some highly questionable companions given he openly welcomed them to estates.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the monarchy did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with state resources.

Travel were documented in royal annual reports: private aircraft travel from the palace to a sporting venue and back again in time for midday meal, private flights instead of commercial flights, all for the comfort of "the frequent flyer".

World of Deference

Additionally the presumption which expected subservience when he appeared in a area or the extreme obsession about his honorifics used on his official documents in messages to his friends.

He managed to escape consequences while his mother, who inexplicably spoiled him, was still surviving. The sovereign did at least strip him of official roles and honorary colonelcies in the consequence of his ill-fated and, as revealed, deceptive television interview six years ago.

Current Situation

Merely in the last 14 days that events sped up, following the issuance of books giving more grim particulars of his behavior and that of his associates.

Additional revelations have again exposed Andrew's assumption that he could avoid deceiving about his relationship with a notorious figure.

Society (and the journalists) were far in advance of the royals. There was no one of any significance to defend him, a outcome of all those years of hubris.

Monarchical Concerns

The more astute family members recognized that. The primary concern is to transfer the crown, if not as heretofore at least intact and untarnished.

For generations the last 190 years trying to reverse the legacy of previous monarchs, showing they are beneficial, responsible and responsive to their citizens.

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

The Fallout

Ultimately, the famously hesitant monarch was pressured further. There was no alternative. The palace had surrendered command of the account.

Now it is the loss of honorifics and the continued and lifetime personal shame that will pain Andrew most severely.

• Demotion: Lowered to just a private citizen
• Past Example: The primary monarch to lose his designations in contemporary era
• Military Service: Notably painful given his duty in the Falklands war

He is still a counsellor of state, on paper able to act for the monarch, and he is still in the succession to the crown, but none of these will actually come to pass.

Coming Developments

Can persons he meets still defer to him? Might they still make mistakes and call him Your Highness? Might they say Andrew,

Of course, he is not withdrawing to a common area, but to the sovereign's vast grounds at a royal residence.

In that place, he will be provided by the king with one of the royal residences and given some sort of personal stipend.

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

Pending Matters

Matters remain unresolved. There are still records in the custody of US Congress to be revealed.

• Governmental Scrutiny: Could parliament demand more
• Fiscal Review: Or investigate the misuse of public money
• Legal Possibility: There may even be a law enforcement inquiry into his actions

Perhaps for the moment the harm to the monarchy to the crown is contained. The narrative from the palace was clearly that the revocation of honorifics was what the monarch, and especially other senior monarchical figures, desired.

Changed Stance

The cessation of illusion that Andrew was acting willingly. And, notably, the concise announcement showed plainly that the institution were aligning with the accuser's account of incidents.

Furthermore, for the initial instance they finally showed consideration for the affected individuals: "The censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the reality that he persists in refuting the allegations against him."

Ultimately it is presumption, self-interest and laziness that will undermine the crown. In his foolishness, self-gratification and venality, Andrew seems never to have grasped that truth.