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It all began with a solitary photograph, possibly the most impactful ever captured of a individual from the royal household.

There stood the Baron Killyleagh, standing closely beside a female youth, while another individual smiled knowingly in the background.

Lacking that photograph, taken at a gathering in 2001, who would have believed the assertions of a teenager who declared she was transported across the ocean and obliged to have cursory intimate contact with a individual of the royal family?

A curious, indicative gesture by someone who had openly asserted to have not been aware of her, claimed he could never have had sex with her, and yet provided millions of his mother's funds to avert a protracted court action.

Over a Decade of Controversy

Against this backdrop, conversations of the royal family acting swiftly to sever ties with Andrew are misguided. This controversy has continued for the majority of 15 years since that picture, and a further snapshot of Andrew strolling pleasantly with a disgraced financier emerged.

• Arrogance: To what extent did his family members, possibly even his mother and father, know that Andrew was so presumptuous?
• Problematic Connections: They must have understood, if his aides and the law enforcement were performing their duties, that he had some highly questionable companions given he publicly hosted them to estates.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the family did not know about his intimate behaviors, they certainly knew about his overspending with state resources.

Trips were listed in official documents: helicopter flights from the estate to a golf course and back again in time for midday meal, private flights instead of regular transport, all for the comfort of "the frequent flyer".

Existence of Entitlement

Furthermore the arrogance which required deference when he appeared in a space or the profound awareness about his royal titles used on his official documents in communication to his personal acquaintances.

He managed to escape consequences while his parent, who inexplicably indulged him, was still surviving. The sovereign did at least revoke him of official roles and military positions in the wake of his catastrophic and, it is now clear, untruthful media appearance six years ago.

Recent Developments

Merely in the last fortnight that events accelerated, following the release of books giving more troubling information of his behavior and that of his connections.

More information have again revealed Andrew's belief that he could escape deceiving about his interaction with a disgraced individual.

The public (and the press) were far in advance of the royal family. There was nobody of any significance to defend him, a outcome of all those years of arrogance.

Royal Worries

The more intelligent family members recognized that. The key objective is to transfer the institution, if not as previously at least intact and unblemished.

They have spent the last 190 years trying to overcome the legacy of past sovereigns, demonstrating they are useful, responsible and reactive to their people.

Andrew was putting all that in peril in an time when respect and discretion is no longer adequate.

The Fallout

Ultimately, the notoriously indecisive king was pushed further. There was no other option. The royal household had relinquished authority of the narrative.

Presently the removal of designations and the ongoing and permanent personal shame that will afflict Andrew most deeply.

• Reduction: Reduced to just a commoner
• Past Example: The initial member to lose his honorifics in recent history
• Naval Career: Notably hurtful given his service in the conflict

He remains a royal advisor, on paper able to substitute for the king, and he is still in the succession to the throne, but neither of these will actually occur.

Coming Developments

Will people he meets still acknowledge him? Could they still forget themselves and call him Prince? Will they even say Mr,

Certainly, he is not retiring to suburbia, but to the monarchy's large estate at Sandringham.

In that place, he will be provided by the sovereign with one of the grace and favour houses and given some type of personal stipend.

This is not his former home, where he paid a token payment for more than 20 years, and Norfolk is a bit remote, but even so it may not be sufficiently removed.

Pending Matters

This is not over. There are still files in the possession of overseas authorities to be revealed.

• Parliamentary Interest: Could legislators seek further action
• Monetary Probe: Or scrutinize the misuse of state resources
• Criminal Investigation: There may even be a police investigation into his conduct

Possibly for the present the institutional damage to the crown is limited. The narrative from the palace was plainly that the stripping of designations was what the monarch, and notably other senior family members, wanted.

Changed Stance

No more illusion that Andrew was doing it voluntarily. And, notably, the brief announcement showed evidently that the royals were aligning with the victim's account of incidents.

Additionally, for the first time they finally showed consideration for the victims: "These actions are judged required, regardless of the reality that he persists in refuting the allegations against him."

Ultimately it is entitlement, self-seeking and laziness that will kill the monarchy. In his stupidity, personal excess and corruption, Andrew gives the impression never to have understood that reality.