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It all began with a isolated photograph, arguably the most consequential ever captured of a royal family member.

There stood the Baron Killyleagh, with his arm around a young woman, while an associate smiled suggestively in the backdrop.

Absent that image, taken at a social event in 2001, it would have been difficult to accept the assertions of a teenager who declared she was trafficked across the sea and obliged to have cursory sexual encounters with a individual of the royal family?

A strange, revealing action by someone who had openly asserted to have never known about her, claimed he could not have had intimate contact with her, and yet paid millions of monarchical resources to settle a drawn-out lawsuit.

A Long Period of Controversy

Considering this, conversations of the royal family acting decisively to distance themselves from Andrew are misguided. This controversy has endured for the largest portion of 15 years since that image, and another snapshot of Andrew strolling amiably with a convicted sex offender emerged.

• Arrogance: To what extent did his family members, perhaps even his relatives, realize that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have realized, if his employees and the law enforcement were performing their duties, that he had some highly questionable associates given he openly invited them to royal residences.
• Financial Extravagance: If the household did not know about his intimate behaviors, they certainly knew about his overspending with state resources.

Travel were documented in royal annual reports: private aircraft travel from the palace to a sporting venue and back again in time for lunch, private flights instead of regular transport, all for the comfort of "the travel enthusiast".

World of Deference

Then there was the arrogance which expected respect when he entered a room or the profound consciousness about his honorifics used on his official documents in letters to his personal acquaintances.

He managed to escape consequences while his parent, who inexplicably pampered him, was still alive. The Queen did at least revoke him of official roles and ceremonial ranks in the wake of his ill-fated and, we now know, untruthful media appearance six years ago.

Current Situation

Merely in the last two weeks that events progressed rapidly, following the release of accounts giving more troubling particulars of his actions and that of his connections.

More information have again highlighted Andrew's belief that he could escape deceiving about his interaction with a notorious figure.

People (and the media) were far in advance of the royals. There was nobody of any consequence to speak up for him, a consequence of all those years of presumption.

Monarchical Concerns

The more intelligent monarchical figures recognized that. The one imperative is to transfer the institution, if not as heretofore at least complete and unstained.

They have spent the last 190 years trying to reverse the legacy of past sovereigns, proving they are valuable, dutiful and responsive to their people.

His actions endangered all that in peril in an age when submission and discretion is no longer sufficient.

The Fallout

Eventually, the well-known uncertain king was pushed more. There was no alternative. The royal household had relinquished authority of the narrative.

Now it is the removal of designations and the continued and lifetime public humiliation that will hurt Andrew the most.

• Reduction: Demoted to just a private citizen
• Past Example: The initial royal to lose his honorifics in contemporary era
• Armed Forces: Particularly stinging given his service in the engagement

He continues to be a counsellor of state, theoretically able to act for the monarch, and he is still in the succession to the throne, but not any of these will ever come to pass.

What Lies Ahead

Do individuals he meets still acknowledge him? Might they still slip up and call him Sir? Will they even say Sir,

Naturally, he is not moving to suburbia, but to the sovereign's large grounds at a monarchical property.

In that place, he will be furnished by the sovereign with one of the estate properties and given some type of personal stipend.

This differs from his previous residence, where he paid a minimal rent for more than 20 years, and the county is a bit distant, but even so it may not be far enough.

Outstanding Concerns

The situation continues. There are still documents in the hands of US Congress to be revealed.

• Governmental Scrutiny: Might lawmakers request additional information
• Financial Investigation: Or scrutinize the misuse of state resources
• Criminal Investigation: There may even be a criminal probe into his behavior

Perhaps for the time being the reputational impact to the monarchy is limited. The message from the institution was plainly that the revocation of honorifics was what the king, and particularly other senior family members, wanted.

Changed Stance

No more deception that Andrew was making the choice himself. And, significantly, the brief announcement showed clearly that the institution were supporting the victim's account of events.

Additionally, for the premiere occasion they finally showed regard for the survivors: "The censures are deemed necessary, regardless of the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him."

In the end it is presumption, self-seeking and laziness that will destroy the institution. In his folly, self-indulgence and corruption, Andrew gives the impression never to have learned that reality.