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

In the frame appeared the Earl of Inverness, standing closely beside a female youth, while another individual grinned conspiratorially in the background.

Absent that image, captured at a party in 2001, few would have credited the allegations of a young woman who declared she was transported across the Atlantic and compelled to have cursory relations with a prince of the royal bloodline?

A curious, telling action by someone who had overtly stated to have no heard of her, asserted he could not have had relations with her, and yet handed over millions of his mother's resources to settle a long-delayed lawsuit.

Over a Decade of Scandal

In this context, discussions of the royal family acting firmly to cut Andrew off are wide of the mark. This controversy has continued for the majority of 15 years since that photograph, and a further image of Andrew strolling congenially with a convicted sex offender emerged.

• Arrogance: How long did his family members, perhaps even his mother and father, know that Andrew was so presumptuous?
• Problematic Connections: They must have understood, if his aides and the law enforcement were doing their jobs, that he had some extremely unsavory companions given he unabashedly invited them to estates.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the family did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with public money.

Trips were listed in public records: helicopter transfers from the palace to a sporting venue and back again in time for midday meal, chartered planes instead of scheduled services, all for the convenience of "Airmiles Andy".

World of Deference

Additionally the presumption which expected respect when he entered a space or the extreme consciousness about his honorifics used on his correspondence in letters to his associates.

He avoided accountability while his mother, who unaccountably spoiled him, was still alive. The Queen did at least revoke him of public duties and honorary colonelcies in the aftermath of his disastrous and, we now know, untruthful television interview six years ago.

Recent Developments

Merely in the last two weeks that events accelerated, following the publication of biographical works giving more troubling particulars of his conduct and that of his connections.

More information have again exposed Andrew's thinking that he could avoid being untruthful about his interaction with a notorious figure.

Society (and the journalists) were far ahead of the royal family. There was not a single person of any significance to speak up for him, a consequence of all those years of hubris.

Monarchical Concerns

The more intelligent family members understood that. The one imperative is to hand down the institution, if not as heretofore at least complete and unblemished.

For generations the last 190 years trying to undo the image of past sovereigns, showing they are useful, accountable and attentive to their citizens.

He was placing all that in danger in an time when respect and secrecy is no longer sufficient.

Aftermath

Eventually, the famously indecisive king was pushed additional. There was no alternative. The palace had surrendered command of the story.

Presently the loss of honorifics and the continued and life-long social disgrace that will hurt Andrew the most.

• Reduction: Reduced to just Mr Mountbatten-Windsor
• Prior Instance: The first member to surrender his honorifics in modern times
• Military Service: Especially stinging given his service in the engagement

He remains a constitutional officer, in principle able to substitute for the sovereign, and he is still in the succession to the throne, but neither of these will actually come to pass.

What Lies Ahead

Do individuals he meets still show respect to him? Will they still make mistakes and call him Sir? Might they say Sir,

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

There, he will be provided by the king with one of the grace and favour houses and given some form of personal stipend.

This is not his previous residence, where he paid a token payment for more than 20 years, and the area 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 overseas authorities to be made public.

• Governmental Scrutiny: Will legislators request additional information
• Fiscal Review: Or investigate the misuse of public money
• Legal Possibility: There may even be a criminal probe into his actions

Perhaps for the moment the reputational impact to the crown is restricted. The narrative from the royal household was evidently that the stripping of titles was what the sovereign, and especially other senior family members, desired.

Altered Approach

The cessation of deception that Andrew was doing it voluntarily. And, notably, the brief communication showed clearly that the royals were siding with the accuser's version of occurrences.

Additionally, for the first time they ultimately showed concern for the victims: "These actions are judged required, notwithstanding the fact that he maintains his innocence of the claims against him."

Finally it is arrogance, self-seeking and inactivity that will undermine the monarchy. In his foolishness, self-gratification and venality, Andrew seems never to have grasped that truth.