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

There stood the Baron Killyleagh, arm-in-arm a female youth, while another individual smiled conspiratorially in the rear.

Absent 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 compelled to have perfunctory sexual encounters with a prince of the royal family?

A curious, revealing action by someone who had openly stated to have never been aware of her, asserted he could no have had relations with her, and yet handed over millions of monarchical money to avert a protracted court action.

A Long Period of Disgrace

In this context, conversations of the monarchy acting firmly to distance themselves from Andrew are wide of the mark. This controversy has continued for the largest portion of 15 years since that image, and an additional image of Andrew strolling amiably with a disgraced financier surfaced.

• Hubris: For what duration did his siblings, maybe even his mother and father, understand that Andrew was so self-entitled?
• Problematic Connections: They must have understood, if his aides and the law enforcement were performing their duties, that he had some deeply disreputable friends given he openly welcomed them to royal residences.
• Monetary Excess: If the family did not know about his intimate behaviors, they certainly knew about his extravagance with public money.

Journeys were documented in official documents: private aircraft travel from the estate to a golf course and back again in time for lunch, exclusive air travel instead of regular transport, all for the comfort of "Airmiles Andy".

A Life of Privilege

Then there was the entitlement which expected deference when he walked into a room or the extreme consciousness about his designations used on his official documents in letters to his friends.

He could get away with it while his matriarch, who strangely indulged him, was still living. The monarch did at least remove him of official roles and honorary colonelcies in the wake of his catastrophic and, as revealed, deceptive television interview six years ago.

Current Situation

Merely in the last 14 days that events accelerated, following the issuance of accounts giving more troubling details of his actions and that of his connections.

Additional revelations have again exposed Andrew's assumption that he could get away with being untruthful about his contact with a convicted criminal.

The public (and the media) were far more perceptive of the monarchy. There was nobody of any importance to support him, a outcome of all those years of arrogance.

Royal Worries

The more intelligent family members realized that. The primary concern is to pass on the crown, if not as before at least intact and unstained.

For generations the last 190 years trying to undo the image of previous monarchs, demonstrating they are useful, accountable and attentive to their subjects.

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

The Fallout

Ultimately, the well-known uncertain sovereign was pushed further. There was no other option. The institution had relinquished authority of the story.

Currently the removal of designations and the ongoing and lifetime social disgrace that will afflict Andrew most severely.

• Downgrading: Demoted to just Mr Mountbatten-Windsor
• Historical Precedent: The first monarch to forfeit his titles in recent history
• Military Service: Especially stinging given his duty in the engagement

He remains a counsellor of state, theoretically able to stand in for the sovereign, and he is still in the succession to the throne, but not any of these will truly happen.

Coming Developments

Can persons he encounters still show respect to him? Will they still slip up and call him Prince? Would they say Andrew,

Certainly, he is not withdrawing to a common area, but to the sovereign's extensive property 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 financial support.

This is not his prior accommodation, where he paid a minimal payment for more than 20 years, and the county is a bit far, but even so it may not be sufficiently removed.

Pending Matters

This is not over. There are still documents in the hands of US Congress to be disclosed.

• Parliamentary Interest: Might lawmakers demand more
• Financial Investigation: Or scrutinize the improper use of public money
• Criminal Investigation: There may even be a criminal probe into his actions

Possibly for the time being the institutional damage to the monarchy is limited. The statement from the institution was plainly that the revocation of titles was what the king, and notably other senior royals, sought.

Altered Approach

No more illusion that Andrew was acting willingly. And, remarkably, the brief announcement showed evidently that the monarchy were siding with the victim's account of incidents.

Furthermore, for the initial instance they eventually showed regard for the victims: "These actions are considered essential, despite the truth that he persists in refuting the claims against him."

Ultimately it is arrogance, self-seeking and indolence that will kill the institution. In his foolishness, self-indulgence and greed, Andrew seems never to have understood that truth.