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

Present was the Baron Killyleagh, standing closely beside a teenage girl, while an associate grinned suggestively in the background.

Lacking that snapshot, captured at a party in 2001, it would have been difficult to accept the allegations of a teenager who stated she was transported across the Atlantic and obliged to have cursory sexual encounters with a prince of the royal bloodline?

A curious, telling action by someone who had publicly claimed to have not heard of her, claimed he could not have had intimate contact with her, and yet paid a large amount of family money to avert a long-delayed legal case.

Years of Controversy

In this context, talk of the royal family acting decisively to cut Andrew off are inaccurate. This affair has endured for the majority of 15 years since that photograph, and another photo of Andrew strolling pleasantly with a disgraced financier came to light.

• Self-importance: To what extent did his brothers and sisters, possibly even his parents, realize that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have known, if his employees and the police were performing their duties, that he had some deeply disreputable companions given he openly invited them to estates.
• Monetary Excess: If the monarchy did not know about his intimate behaviors, they certainly knew about his extravagance with public money.

Trips were documented in public records: chopper flights from the palace to a golf course and back again in time for lunch, exclusive air travel instead of regular transport, all for the convenience of "Airmiles Andy".

A Life of Privilege

Then there was the presumption which required subservience when he appeared in a room or the supreme awareness about his royal titles used on his official documents in messages to his friends.

He could get away with it while his matriarch, who inexplicably indulged him, was still alive. The sovereign did at least revoke him of public duties and military positions in the aftermath of his catastrophic and, as revealed, deceptive television interview six years ago.

Current Situation

Merely in the last two weeks that events progressed rapidly, following the release of books giving more disturbing details of his behavior and that of his connections.

Additional revelations have again revealed Andrew's assumption that he could avoid deceiving about his interaction with a disgraced individual.

Society (and the media) were far more perceptive of the royals. There was not a single person of any importance to support him, a consequence of all those years of presumption.

Monarchical Concerns

The more intelligent monarchical figures realized that. The primary concern is to hand down the crown, if not as heretofore at least whole and unblemished.

For generations the last 190 years trying to reverse the reputation of previous monarchs, demonstrating they are useful, responsible and reactive to their people.

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

The Fallout

Finally, the famously uncertain king was prodded further. There was little choice. The royal household had relinquished authority of the narrative.

Now it is the stripping of titles and the continued and lifetime public humiliation that will pain Andrew most deeply.

• Reduction: Demoted to just a commoner
• Historical Precedent: The first member to surrender his designations in modern times
• Naval Career: Particularly painful given his role in the engagement

He is still a royal advisor, theoretically able to stand in for the king, and he is still in the succession to the throne, but none of these will truly come to pass.

Future Prospects

Can persons he encounters still show respect to him? Might they still make mistakes and call him Your Highness? Will they even say Mr,

Of course, he is not moving to suburbia, but to the sovereign's large grounds at a royal residence.

There, he will be provided by the sovereign with one of the estate properties and given some form of financial support.

This differs from his previous residence, where he paid a nominal rent for more than 20 years, and the county is a bit remote, but even so it may not be sufficiently removed.

Pending Matters

The situation continues. There are still files in the possession of American legislators to be disclosed.

• Parliamentary Interest: Might lawmakers demand more
• Fiscal Review: Or scrutinize the improper use of taxpayer funds
• Legal Possibility: There may even be a criminal probe into his conduct

Maybe for the present the institutional damage to the institution is restricted. The narrative from the royal household was clearly that the revocation of titles was what the sovereign, and notably other senior monarchical figures, wanted.

Changed Stance

No more illusion that Andrew was making the choice himself. And, notably, the brief announcement showed clearly that the royals were supporting the accuser's narrative of incidents.

Even more, for the premiere occasion they finally showed regard for the affected individuals: "These actions are deemed necessary, despite the fact that he continues to deny the claims against him."

Finally it is arrogance, selfishness and laziness that will kill the monarchy. In his foolishness, self-indulgence and corruption, Andrew appears never to have understood that truth.