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This episode commenced with a isolated photograph, perhaps the most consequential ever snapped of a royal family member.

In the frame appeared the Baron Killyleagh, arm-in-arm a female youth, while another individual grinned knowingly in the background.

Absent that image, taken at a party in 2001, who would have believed the allegations of a adolescent who stated she was trafficked across the sea and forced to have brief sexual encounters with a prince of the royal bloodline?

An odd, telling action by someone who had openly stated to have no heard of her, said he could no have had relations with her, and yet paid a substantial sum of family funds to settle a protracted lawsuit.

Over a Decade of Scandal

Considering this, discussions of the royal family acting decisively to cut Andrew off are misguided. This scandal has endured for the largest portion of 15 years since that picture, and an additional photo of Andrew strolling pleasantly with a convicted sex offender surfaced.

• Arrogance: How long did his brothers and sisters, perhaps even his mother and father, understand that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have understood, if his aides and the authorities were fulfilling their roles, that he had some deeply disreputable friends given he publicly hosted them to estates.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the household did not know about his sexual proclivities, they certainly knew about his overspending with state resources.

Journeys were documented in public records: private aircraft flights from the palace to a sporting venue and back again in time for dining, private flights instead of commercial flights, all for the convenience of "the travel enthusiast".

A Life of Privilege

Furthermore the presumption which expected deference when he entered a room or the extreme awareness about his honorifics used on his letterheads in messages to his friends.

He managed to escape consequences while his parent, who unaccountably spoiled him, was still living. The sovereign did at least remove him of official roles and ceremonial ranks in the aftermath of his catastrophic and, we now know, mendacious media appearance six years ago.

Recent Developments

Merely in the last two weeks that events sped up, following the release of accounts giving more grim details of his conduct and that of his companions.

Further disclosures have again exposed Andrew's belief that he could escape lying about his contact with a notorious figure.

People (and the media) were far more perceptive of the royal family. There was nobody of any importance to support him, a outcome of all those years of arrogance.

Institutional Fears

The more intelligent family members understood that. The key objective is to transfer the monarchy, if not as previously at least intact and untarnished.

Over time the last 190 years trying to overcome the legacy of earlier rulers, showing they are useful, dutiful and reactive to their people.

His actions endangered all that in jeopardy in an era when submission and secrecy is no longer adequate.

The Fallout

Ultimately, the notoriously indecisive king was prodded further. There was little choice. The institution had surrendered command of the story.

Currently the loss of titles and the persistent and permanent public humiliation that will afflict Andrew most deeply.

• Reduction: Reduced to just a private citizen
• Prior Instance: The initial royal to forfeit his titles in recent history
• Armed Forces: Notably painful given his service in the conflict

He remains a constitutional officer, on paper able to stand in for the king, and he is still eighth in line to the crown, but none of these will ever come to pass.

What Lies Ahead

Can persons he encounters still acknowledge him? Will they still make mistakes and call him Prince? Would they say Sir,

Certainly, he is not withdrawing to suburbia, but to the sovereign's extensive property at a royal residence.

At that location, he will be provided by the monarch with one of the grace and favour houses and given some type of personal stipend.

This is not his prior accommodation, where he paid a token lease for more than 20 years, and the area is a bit far, but even so it may not be sufficiently removed.

Outstanding Concerns

Matters remain unresolved. There are still records in the hands of American legislators to be revealed.

• Parliamentary Interest: Will lawmakers seek further action
• Financial Investigation: Or examine the waste of public money
• Judicial Potential: There may even be a criminal probe into his behavior

Perhaps for the moment the harm to the monarchy to the institution is restricted. The statement from the palace was clearly that the revocation of honorifics was what the king, and particularly other senior royals, sought.

Changed Stance

An end to pretence that Andrew was making the choice himself. And, notably, the concise communication showed evidently that the monarchy were siding with the accuser's version of events.

Even more, for the initial instance they eventually showed concern for the survivors: "The measures are deemed necessary, regardless of the reality that he persists in refuting the claims against him."

In the end it is presumption, selfishness and indolence that will kill the institution. In his stupidity, personal excess and corruption, Andrew appears never to have grasped that truth.