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The saga started with a isolated photograph, arguably the most impactful ever captured of a royal family member.

Present was the Duke of York, standing closely beside a young woman, while a companion beamed conspiratorially in the rear.

Lacking that snapshot, taken at a party in 2001, who would have believed the allegations of a teenager who stated she was transported across the sea and obliged to have cursory sexual encounters with a individual of the monarchy?

An odd, indicative gesture by someone who had overtly asserted to have never known about her, said he could no have had relations with her, and yet paid a large amount of family resources to resolve a protracted lawsuit.

Over a Decade of Scandal

Against this backdrop, conversations of the monarchy acting decisively to sever ties with Andrew are misguided. This scandal has endured for the majority of 15 years since that photograph, and a further photo of Andrew ambling congenially with a convicted sex offender surfaced.

• Arrogance: How long did his siblings, maybe even his mother and father, realize that Andrew was so presumptuous?
• Questionable Associations: They must have realized, if his aides and the law enforcement were doing their jobs, that he had some highly questionable companions given he publicly welcomed them to royal residences.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the family did not know about his sexual proclivities, they certainly knew about his extravagance with public money.

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

A Life of Privilege

Then there was the arrogance which required deference when he entered a room or the extreme consciousness about his honorifics used on his letterheads in communication to his personal acquaintances.

He could get away with it while his parent, who strangely pampered him, was still surviving. The sovereign did at least remove him of royal responsibilities and ceremonial ranks in the consequence of his ill-fated and, we now know, deceptive public statement six years ago.

Latest Events

Just in the last fortnight that events sped up, following the issuance of books giving more disturbing particulars of his behavior and that of his companions.

More information have again exposed Andrew's belief that he could get away with deceiving about his relationship with a disgraced individual.

The public (and the journalists) were far ahead of the royals. There was no one of any consequence to support him, a result of all those years of arrogance.

Monarchical Concerns

The more astute family members realized that. The one imperative is to hand down the institution, if not as before at least intact and untarnished.

For generations the last 190 years trying to undo the legacy of previous monarchs, showing they are valuable, accountable and attentive to their people.

Andrew was putting all that in peril in an time when submission and secrecy is no longer enough.

Consequences

Ultimately, the notoriously uncertain sovereign was prodded additional. There was no alternative. The royal household had lost control of the story.

Presently the stripping of titles and the continued and lifetime social disgrace that will hurt Andrew most severely.

• Reduction: Demoted to just a private citizen
• Historical Precedent: The initial monarch to surrender his honorifics in contemporary era
• Armed Forces: Notably stinging given his duty in the conflict

He is still a constitutional officer, in principle able to act for the king, and he is still in the lineage to the crown, but neither of these will truly occur.

What Lies Ahead

Will people he meets still show respect to him? Could they still make mistakes and call him Sir? Will they even say Mr,

Of course, he is not moving to a common area, but to the monarchy's extensive property at Sandringham.

There, he will be provided by the king with one of the grace and favour houses and given some type of private allowance.

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

Unresolved Issues

The situation continues. There are still files in the custody of overseas authorities to be made public.

• Political Pressure: Could lawmakers request additional information
• Monetary Probe: Or investigate the improper use of taxpayer funds
• Judicial Potential: There may even be a law enforcement inquiry into his behavior

Possibly for the time being the harm to the monarchy to the institution is contained. The narrative from the royal household was evidently that the revocation of titles was what the king, and particularly other senior royals, sought.

Altered Approach

The cessation of deception that Andrew was acting willingly. And, notably, the concise communication showed plainly that the institution were siding with the victim's narrative of events.

Furthermore, for the initial instance they finally showed concern for the affected individuals: "These actions are considered essential, despite the reality that he maintains his innocence of the accusations against him."

Finally it is presumption, self-interest and inactivity that will destroy the crown. In his folly, personal excess and venality, Andrew seems never to have learned that reality.