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

In the frame appeared the Duke of York, with his arm around a teenage girl, while a companion smiled conspiratorially in the backdrop.

Without that image, taken at a social event in 2001, few would have credited the assertions of a young woman who said she was trafficked across the ocean and obliged to have perfunctory intimate contact with a individual of the monarchy?

A strange, revealing gesture by someone who had publicly asserted to have never been aware of her, asserted he could not have had relations with her, and yet paid a large amount of family money to settle a protracted court action.

Over a Decade of Scandal

Against this backdrop, discussions of the monarchy acting firmly to distance themselves from Andrew are inaccurate. This scandal has continued for the better part of 15 years since that photograph, and an additional snapshot of Andrew walking pleasantly with a disgraced financier emerged.

• Self-importance: How long did his family members, maybe even his mother and father, realize that Andrew was so self-entitled?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have realized, if his aides and the police were doing their jobs, that he had some extremely unsavory associates given he openly welcomed them to estates.
• Monetary Excess: If the household did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with state resources.

Trips were listed in official documents: chopper transfers from the estate to a country club and back again in time for midday meal, chartered planes instead of regular transport, all for the comfort of "the frequent flyer".

World of Deference

Furthermore the entitlement which demanded deference when he appeared in a space or the extreme consciousness about his designations used on his official documents in communication to his personal acquaintances.

He managed to escape consequences while his parent, who inexplicably spoiled him, was still living. The sovereign did at least revoke him of official roles and honorary colonelcies in the aftermath of his disastrous and, as revealed, deceptive media appearance six years ago.

Latest Events

It was only in the last 14 days that events accelerated, following the publication of books giving more troubling details of his behavior and that of his companions.

Additional revelations have again revealed Andrew's belief that he could get away with lying about his relationship with a convicted criminal.

Society (and the press) were far more perceptive of the royal family. There was nobody of any consequence to defend him, a result of all those years of arrogance.

Institutional Fears

The wiser monarchical figures recognized that. The one imperative is to pass on the institution, if not as heretofore at least whole and untarnished.

Over time the last 190 years trying to overcome the image of previous monarchs, demonstrating they are valuable, responsible and responsive to their subjects.

He was placing all that in danger in an time when submission and privacy is no longer enough.

Consequences

Eventually, the notoriously indecisive king was pushed further. There was no alternative. The royal household had relinquished authority of the account.

Currently the stripping of honorifics and the ongoing and life-long personal shame that will afflict Andrew the most.

• Downgrading: Lowered to just a private citizen
• Historical Precedent: The primary royal to surrender his designations in recent history
• Military Service: Particularly painful given his service in the conflict

He is still a counsellor of state, on paper able to stand in for the king, and he is still in the lineage to the crown, but none of these will actually happen.

Future Prospects

Will people he comes across still show respect to him? Could they still make mistakes and call him Prince? Will they even say Andrew,

Naturally, he is not retiring to an ordinary town, but to the monarchy's large estate at a monarchical property.

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

This is not his prior accommodation, where he paid a token rent for more than 20 years, and the county is a bit far, but even so it may not be adequate distance.

Pending Matters

Matters remain unresolved. There are still files in the possession of American legislators to be revealed.

• Parliamentary Interest: Could lawmakers demand more
• Financial Investigation: Or examine the improper use of public money
• Legal Possibility: There may even be a law enforcement inquiry into his actions

Perhaps for the present the harm to the monarchy to the monarchy is limited. The message from the royal household was evidently that the removal of titles was what the sovereign, and especially other senior royals, wanted.

Changed Stance

An end to illusion that Andrew was making the choice himself. And, notably, the brief statement showed clearly that the royals were supporting the accuser's version of occurrences.

Even more, for the initial instance they eventually showed regard for the affected individuals: "These actions are judged required, regardless of the truth that he continues to deny the claims against him."

Finally it is presumption, selfishness and indolence that will kill the institution. In his folly, self-gratification and corruption, Andrew appears never to have grasped that lesson.