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It all began with a isolated photograph, arguably the most significant ever taken of a individual from the royal household.

In the frame appeared the Earl of Inverness, arm-in-arm a young woman, while a companion grinned suggestively in the background.

Without that photograph, captured at a gathering in 2001, who would have believed the allegations of a young woman who said she was trafficked across the sea and obliged to have perfunctory sexual encounters with a member of the royal family?

A curious, telling gesture by someone who had overtly asserted to have no heard of her, said he could no have had intimate contact with her, and yet handed over a large amount of family resources to avert a long-delayed lawsuit.

Over a Decade of Disgrace

Considering this, discussions of the royals acting decisively to sever ties with Andrew are wide of the mark. This scandal has persisted for the majority of 15 years since that picture, and an additional photo of Andrew ambling pleasantly with a notorious individual surfaced.

• Hubris: To what extent did his brothers and sisters, perhaps even his relatives, know that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have understood, if his staff and the authorities were doing their jobs, that he had some extremely unsavory friends given he openly invited them to royal residences.
• Monetary Excess: If the monarchy did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his overspending with state resources.

Trips were listed in royal annual reports: helicopter flights from the palace to a golf course and back again in time for midday meal, exclusive air travel instead of scheduled services, all for the convenience of "the frequent flyer".

A Life of Privilege

Additionally the entitlement which demanded subservience when he appeared in a area or the profound obsession about his royal titles used on his letterheads in communication to his personal acquaintances.

He managed to escape consequences while his matriarch, who unaccountably pampered him, was still alive. The Queen did at least strip him of royal responsibilities and military positions in the consequence of his ill-fated and, as revealed, untruthful public statement six years ago.

Latest Events

It was only in the last 14 days that events accelerated, following the release of books giving more disturbing particulars of his actions and that of his connections.

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

Society (and the media) were far more perceptive of the royals. There was no one of any importance to defend him, a outcome of all those years of presumption.

Monarchical Concerns

The more intelligent family members understood that. The one imperative is to transfer the institution, if not as heretofore at least complete and unstained.

Over time the last 190 years trying to overcome the image of previous monarchs, showing they are beneficial, responsible and responsive to their people.

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

The Fallout

Eventually, the notoriously hesitant monarch was pressured further. There was little choice. The royal household had relinquished authority of the narrative.

Presently the stripping of titles and the continued and lifetime social disgrace that will hurt Andrew the most.

• Demotion: Demoted to just Mr Mountbatten-Windsor
• Historical Precedent: The first royal to forfeit his honorifics in recent history
• Armed Forces: Particularly painful given his service in the conflict

He continues to be a royal advisor, theoretically able to stand in for the king, and he is still eighth in line to the crown, but neither of these will truly come to pass.

Future Prospects

Will people he comes across still show respect to him? Will they still forget themselves and call him Your Highness? Will they even say Sir,

Certainly, he is not withdrawing to an ordinary town, but to the sovereign's vast grounds at Sandringham.

At that location, he will be supplied by the sovereign with one of the grace and favour houses and given some type of personal stipend.

This is not his previous residence, where he paid a nominal lease for more than 20 years, and the county is a bit far, but even so it may not be adequate distance.

Unresolved Issues

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

• Governmental Scrutiny: Could lawmakers demand more
• Monetary Probe: Or investigate the waste of taxpayer funds
• Criminal Investigation: There may even be a police investigation into his conduct

Perhaps for the moment the reputational impact to the monarchy is contained. The message from the institution was plainly that the revocation of honorifics was what the king, and especially other senior royals, sought.

A Shift in Position

An end to deception that Andrew was making the choice himself. And, notably, the short announcement showed clearly that the royals were aligning with the complainant's narrative of occurrences.

Additionally, for the initial instance they eventually showed regard for the affected individuals: "These actions are judged required, despite 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 institution. In his foolishness, personal excess and greed, Andrew appears never to have understood that truth.