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The saga started with a isolated photograph, arguably the most significant ever taken of a member of the monarchy.

There stood the Duke of York, with his arm around a young woman, while another individual smiled conspiratorially in the backdrop.

Without that snapshot, captured at a gathering in 2001, who would have believed the allegations of a teenager who declared she was trafficked across the Atlantic and compelled to have perfunctory relations with a individual of the royal bloodline?

A strange, revealing move by someone who had openly stated to have not heard of her, claimed he could not have had relations with her, and yet paid millions of family resources to resolve a protracted lawsuit.

Years of Scandal

Considering this, conversations of the royal family acting decisively to cut Andrew off are wide of the mark. This scandal has continued for the majority of 15 years since that image, and another image of Andrew ambling pleasantly with a notorious individual emerged.

• Hubris: How long did his family members, maybe even his mother and father, realize that Andrew was so self-entitled?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have understood, if his employees and the authorities were performing their duties, that he had some deeply disreputable associates given he publicly hosted them to palaces.
• Financial Extravagance: If the family did not know about his sexual proclivities, they certainly knew about his extravagance with public money.

Travel were printed in official documents: chopper flights from the estate to a country club and back again in time for lunch, exclusive air travel instead of commercial flights, all for the convenience of "the frequent flyer".

A Life of Privilege

Then there was the presumption which required subservience when he entered a space or the extreme consciousness about his designations used on his correspondence in letters to his friends.

He managed to escape consequences while his mother, who unaccountably indulged him, was still living. The sovereign did at least revoke him of official roles and honorary colonelcies in the aftermath of his ill-fated and, it is now clear, mendacious television interview six years ago.

Latest Events

Merely in the last 14 days that events sped up, following the issuance of books giving more disturbing details of his actions and that of his companions.

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

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

Royal Worries

The more astute royals realized that. The key objective is to pass on the monarchy, if not as before at least complete and untarnished.

For generations the last 190 years trying to undo the reputation 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 discretion is no longer enough.

Consequences

Ultimately, the notoriously uncertain king was pressured further. There was little choice. The palace had lost control of the account.

Now it is the removal of honorifics and the persistent and permanent public humiliation that will pain Andrew most deeply.

• Reduction: Demoted to just a commoner
• Past Example: The primary royal to forfeit his designations in recent history
• Naval Career: Especially painful given his service in the conflict

He is still a counsellor of state, in principle able to stand in for the sovereign, and he is still eighth in line to the monarchy, but none of these will ever come to pass.

Future Prospects

Do individuals he encounters still show respect to him? Might they still forget themselves and call him Prince? Might they say Andrew,

Of course, he is not retiring to an ordinary town, but to the royal family's extensive property at a monarchical property.

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

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

Unresolved Issues

The situation continues. There are still files in the hands of overseas authorities to be disclosed.

• Parliamentary Interest: Could legislators seek further action
• Monetary Probe: Or examine the improper use of taxpayer funds
• Legal Possibility: There may even be a criminal probe into his conduct

Possibly for the time being the institutional damage to the monarchy is contained. The message from the institution was evidently that the stripping of designations was what the sovereign, and notably other senior monarchical figures, desired.

Changed Stance

No more pretence that Andrew was doing it voluntarily. And, notably, the short communication showed evidently that the royals were aligning with the accuser's version of events.

Furthermore, for the first time they finally showed consideration for the victims: "The censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the truth that he continues to deny the accusations against him."

Ultimately it is arrogance, self-seeking and inactivity that will destroy the institution. In his stupidity, personal excess and venality, Andrew appears never to have learned that truth.