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It all began with a isolated photograph, possibly the most impactful ever taken of a member of the monarchy.

Present was the Earl of Inverness, with his arm around a young woman, while a companion grinned suggestively in the background.

Lacking that snapshot, shot at a party in 2001, it would have been difficult to accept the claims of a adolescent who stated she was transported across the sea and obliged to have perfunctory sexual encounters with a prince of the royal bloodline?

An odd, revealing move by someone who had publicly claimed to have never been aware of her, claimed he could no have had relations with her, and yet provided a substantial sum of his mother's money to avert a drawn-out court action.

Years of Scandal

Against this backdrop, conversations of the monarchy acting firmly to sever ties with Andrew are misguided. This affair has endured for the largest portion of 15 years since that picture, and an additional photo of Andrew walking pleasantly with a disgraced financier surfaced.

• Arrogance: To what extent did his siblings, possibly even his mother and father, know that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Questionable Associations: They must have understood, if his employees and the police were fulfilling their roles, that he had some highly questionable companions given he publicly hosted them to royal residences.
• Monetary Excess: If the household did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with public money.

Travel were documented in royal annual reports: chopper transfers from the estate to a sporting venue and back again in time for midday meal, exclusive air travel instead of regular transport, all for the comfort of "the travel enthusiast".

World of Deference

Additionally the entitlement which demanded subservience when he appeared in a area or the extreme consciousness about his royal titles used on his letterheads in communication to his associates.

He avoided accountability while his parent, who unaccountably indulged him, was still alive. The sovereign did at least strip him of royal responsibilities and ceremonial ranks in the wake of his catastrophic and, as revealed, deceptive television interview six years ago.

Recent Developments

Merely in the last 14 days that events accelerated, following the publication of books giving more troubling information of his conduct and that of his connections.

Further disclosures have again highlighted Andrew's thinking that he could escape deceiving about his contact with a disgraced individual.

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

Monarchical Concerns

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

Over time the last 190 years trying to reverse the reputation of earlier rulers, proving they are beneficial, accountable and responsive to their citizens.

Andrew was putting all that in danger in an time when respect and discretion is no longer sufficient.

Aftermath

Finally, the well-known indecisive king was pushed additional. There was no other option. The institution had surrendered command of the account.

Presently the removal of designations and the continued and lifetime personal shame that will hurt Andrew most severely.

• Demotion: Demoted to just a commoner
• Prior Instance: The first member to surrender his titles in recent history
• Armed Forces: Especially stinging given his duty in the conflict

He is still a royal advisor, theoretically able to act for the king, and he is still eighth in line to the throne, but not any of these will ever come to pass.

What Lies Ahead

Do individuals he comes across still acknowledge him? Might they still slip up and call him Prince? Might they say Sir,

Naturally, he is not retiring to a common area, but to the sovereign's extensive property at Sandringham.

At that location, he will be furnished by the sovereign with one of the royal residences and given some type of private allowance.

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

Outstanding Concerns

The situation continues. There are still records in the possession of overseas authorities to be revealed.

• Political Pressure: Could lawmakers request additional information
• Monetary Probe: Or examine the waste of taxpayer funds
• Legal Possibility: There may even be a criminal probe into his actions

Perhaps for the time being the reputational impact to the crown is contained. The message from the royal household was plainly that the removal of titles was what the sovereign, and particularly other senior royals, desired.

Changed Stance

An end to illusion that Andrew was acting willingly. And, significantly, the short communication showed clearly that the monarchy were siding with the accuser's account of occurrences.

Even more, for the first time they finally showed consideration for the affected individuals: "These actions are considered essential, regardless of the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him."

In the end it is arrogance, self-seeking and laziness that will destroy the crown. In his folly, self-indulgence and greed, Andrew seems never to have understood that reality.