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The saga started with a single photograph, arguably the most consequential ever captured of a member of the monarchy.

There stood the Earl of Inverness, with his arm around a young woman, while another individual smiled suggestively in the backdrop.

Lacking that image, taken at a party in 2001, few would have credited the claims of a teenager who declared she was transported across the Atlantic and forced to have cursory sexual encounters with a prince of the monarchy?

A curious, revealing action by someone who had publicly stated to have never known about her, asserted he could never have had sex with her, and yet handed over millions of monarchical resources to avert a long-delayed legal case.

Years of Scandal

In this context, conversations of the royal family acting firmly to cut Andrew off are inaccurate. This scandal has endured for the majority of 15 years since that picture, and a further snapshot of Andrew ambling amiably with a notorious individual emerged.

• Self-importance: How long did his brothers and sisters, possibly even his parents, realize that Andrew was so self-entitled?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have realized, if his staff and the authorities were doing their jobs, that he had some highly questionable friends given he openly hosted them to estates.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the household did not know about his intimate behaviors, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with public money.

Travel were printed in official documents: chopper travel from the royal residence to a sporting venue and back again in time for midday meal, exclusive air travel instead of scheduled services, all for the comfort of "the travel enthusiast".

Existence of Entitlement

Additionally the presumption which demanded deference when he appeared in a room or the extreme awareness about his royal titles used on his official documents in communication to his personal acquaintances.

He managed to escape consequences while his matriarch, who unaccountably indulged him, was still surviving. The Queen did at least strip him of public duties and ceremonial ranks in the consequence of his disastrous and, it is now clear, mendacious media appearance six years ago.

Recent Developments

Merely in the last 14 days that events accelerated, following the publication of books giving more grim information of his conduct and that of his associates.

More information have again exposed Andrew's assumption that he could avoid lying about his relationship with a notorious figure.

People (and the media) were far ahead of the royal family. There was not a single person of any significance to support him, a outcome of all those years of arrogance.

Institutional Fears

The more astute monarchical figures understood that. The key objective is to hand down the monarchy, if not as before at least complete and unblemished.

They have spent the last 190 years trying to reverse the reputation of earlier rulers, showing they are beneficial, dutiful and attentive to their people.

Andrew was putting all that in danger in an age when respect and secrecy is no longer adequate.

The Fallout

Finally, the well-known uncertain monarch was pushed more. There was little choice. The institution had surrendered command of the account.

Now it is the stripping of designations and the persistent and lifetime social disgrace that will hurt Andrew most deeply.

• Demotion: Lowered to just a private citizen
• Past Example: The initial member to lose his designations in modern times
• Military Service: Notably stinging given his duty in the conflict

He is still a royal advisor, in principle able to act for the monarch, and he is still in the succession to the crown, but not any of these will truly happen.

Future Prospects

Will people he encounters still acknowledge him? Could they still make mistakes and call him Your Highness? Will they even say Andrew,

Naturally, he is not retiring to suburbia, but to the sovereign's large estate at a royal residence.

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

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

Unresolved Issues

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

• Political Pressure: Will legislators request additional information
• Monetary Probe: Or scrutinize the misuse of taxpayer funds
• Judicial Potential: There may even be a police investigation into his behavior

Maybe for the present the reputational impact to the monarchy is limited. The statement from the institution was clearly that the removal of titles was what the king, and especially other senior monarchical figures, desired.

A Shift in Position

No more pretence that Andrew was acting willingly. And, remarkably, the short statement showed evidently that the royals were aligning with the victim's narrative of incidents.

Furthermore, for the initial instance they eventually showed consideration for the victims: "The censures are judged required, regardless of the reality that he persists in refuting the allegations against him."

In the end it is presumption, self-seeking and laziness that will undermine the institution. In his folly, self-gratification and corruption, Andrew appears never to have understood that reality.