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This episode commenced with a single photograph, perhaps the most significant ever captured of a member of the monarchy.

In the frame appeared the Baron Killyleagh, standing closely beside a female youth, while an associate beamed knowingly in the rear.

Lacking that image, shot at a social event in 2001, who would have believed the assertions of a young woman who stated she was transported across the sea and obliged to have cursory relations with a member of the monarchy?

A curious, telling move by someone who had publicly claimed to have not heard of her, asserted he could never have had sex with her, and yet handed over a substantial sum of his mother's money to resolve a drawn-out court action.

Over a Decade of Controversy

Against this backdrop, conversations of the royal family acting firmly to cut Andrew off are wide of the mark. This controversy has persisted for the largest portion of 15 years since that photograph, and another photo of Andrew strolling pleasantly with a notorious individual came to light.

• Self-importance: To what extent did his family members, maybe even his relatives, understand that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Problematic Connections: They must have known, if his staff and the police were performing their duties, that he had some extremely unsavory friends given he openly invited them to royal residences.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the monarchy did not know about his intimate behaviors, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with taxpayer funds.

Trips were printed in royal annual reports: chopper transfers from the palace to a sporting venue and back again in time for dining, chartered planes instead of scheduled services, all for the convenience of "the frequent flyer".

World of Deference

Additionally the presumption which demanded deference when he walked into a area or the supreme consciousness about his royal titles used on his letterheads in messages to his associates.

He managed to escape consequences while his parent, who unaccountably pampered him, was still surviving. The sovereign did at least revoke him of official roles and ceremonial ranks in the wake of his disastrous and, it is now clear, deceptive public statement six years ago.

Current Situation

Merely in the last 14 days that events accelerated, following the publication of accounts giving more disturbing information of his actions and that of his associates.

More information have again highlighted Andrew's assumption that he could get away with lying about his interaction with a disgraced individual.

People (and the journalists) were far in advance of the monarchy. There was not a single person of any consequence to support him, a result of all those years of presumption.

Monarchical Concerns

The more astute royals realized that. The key objective is to hand down the monarchy, if not as previously at least complete and unstained.

For generations the last 190 years trying to reverse the image of earlier rulers, demonstrating they are beneficial, accountable and responsive to their subjects.

His actions endangered all that in peril in an era when respect and secrecy is no longer sufficient.

The Fallout

Finally, the notoriously hesitant king was pushed more. There was little choice. The palace had surrendered command of the narrative.

Currently the removal of honorifics and the continued and permanent public humiliation that will afflict Andrew the most.

• Reduction: Lowered to just a commoner
• Past Example: The primary monarch to lose his designations in recent history
• Armed Forces: Notably painful given his duty in the engagement

He remains a constitutional officer, in principle able to substitute for the sovereign, and he is still in the lineage to the crown, but none of these will truly happen.

What Lies Ahead

Will people he encounters still show respect to him? Will they still slip up and call him Your Highness? Will they even say Mr,

Certainly, he is not withdrawing to an ordinary town, but to the monarchy's large estate at a royal residence.

At that location, he will be provided by the sovereign with one of the estate properties and given some sort of private allowance.

This is not his previous residence, where he paid a nominal payment for more than 20 years, and the county is a bit remote, but even so it may not be far enough.

Outstanding Concerns

This is not over. There are still records in the custody of American legislators to be disclosed.

• Governmental Scrutiny: Will parliament demand more
• Monetary Probe: Or examine the waste of state resources
• Criminal Investigation: There may even be a law enforcement inquiry into his actions

Possibly for the moment the reputational impact to the crown is limited. The narrative from the royal household was evidently that the removal of designations was what the king, and particularly other senior royals, wanted.

Altered Approach

The cessation of illusion that Andrew was acting willingly. And, significantly, the brief statement showed plainly that the monarchy were supporting the complainant's version of occurrences.

Furthermore, for the premiere occasion they eventually showed consideration for the victims: "These actions are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the claims against him."

Finally it is presumption, self-interest and indolence that will kill the monarchy. In his stupidity, personal excess and corruption, Andrew seems never to have grasped that truth.