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

Present was the Baron Killyleagh, with his arm around a young woman, while an associate beamed conspiratorially in the rear.

Lacking that photograph, shot at a gathering in 2001, few would have credited the allegations of a young woman who said she was trafficked across the Atlantic and compelled to have perfunctory sexual encounters with a member of the monarchy?

A curious, indicative move by someone who had overtly claimed to have not known about her, asserted he could no have had intimate contact with her, and yet paid a substantial sum of his mother's funds to settle a long-delayed legal case.

Over a Decade of Scandal

Considering this, discussions of the royals acting swiftly to sever ties with Andrew are misguided. This scandal has endured for the largest portion of 15 years since that photograph, and an additional image of Andrew strolling amiably with a convicted sex offender surfaced.

• Arrogance: For what duration did his siblings, maybe even his relatives, realize that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have known, if his employees and the authorities were doing their jobs, that he had some highly questionable companions given he publicly invited them to palaces.
• Monetary Excess: If the monarchy did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his extravagance with taxpayer funds.

Trips were listed in royal annual reports: private aircraft flights from the estate to a country club and back again in time for lunch, chartered planes instead of scheduled services, all for the benefit of "the travel enthusiast".

A Life of Privilege

Additionally the presumption which required respect when he appeared in a room or the profound consciousness about his royal titles used on his official documents in communication to his personal acquaintances.

He managed to escape consequences while his mother, who inexplicably pampered him, was still living. The sovereign did at least strip him of public duties and military positions in the wake of his catastrophic and, we now know, mendacious public statement six years ago.

Recent Developments

It was only in the last two weeks that events progressed rapidly, following the issuance of books giving more disturbing details of his conduct and that of his associates.

Additional revelations have again revealed Andrew's assumption that he could get away with lying about his contact with a notorious figure.

Society (and the media) were far ahead of the royals. There was nobody of any significance to defend him, a outcome of all those years of hubris.

Monarchical Concerns

The wiser monarchical figures recognized that. The one imperative is to hand down the monarchy, if not as previously at least complete and unblemished.

They have spent the last 190 years trying to reverse the legacy of previous monarchs, proving they are useful, responsible and attentive to their people.

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

The Fallout

Finally, the famously hesitant king was pressured further. There was no other option. The palace had relinquished authority of the story.

Currently the loss of titles and the ongoing and lifetime public humiliation that will afflict Andrew the most.

• Demotion: Reduced to just a commoner
• Past Example: The primary royal to surrender his designations in modern times
• Armed Forces: Especially hurtful given his service in the engagement

He continues to be a constitutional officer, in principle able to act for the king, and he is still in the succession to the crown, but not any of these will actually happen.

Coming Developments

Can persons he meets still show respect to him? Will they still make mistakes and call him Your Highness? Might they say Andrew,

Naturally, he is not withdrawing to an ordinary town, but to the sovereign's large property at a royal residence.

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

This differs from his former home, 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.

Outstanding Concerns

This is not over. There are still documents in the custody of American legislators to be made public.

• Political Pressure: Might parliament demand more
• Financial Investigation: Or investigate the misuse of state resources
• Legal Possibility: There may even be a criminal probe into his actions

Possibly for the present the harm to the monarchy to the institution is contained. The narrative from the royal household was clearly that the stripping of designations was what the king, and especially other senior family members, sought.

A Shift in Position

No more deception that Andrew was doing it voluntarily. And, significantly, the short communication showed plainly that the monarchy were supporting the accuser's version of occurrences.

Additionally, for the first time they eventually showed concern for the survivors: "The measures are judged required, regardless of the reality that he continues to deny the allegations against him."

Finally it is entitlement, selfishness and inactivity that will undermine the institution. In his folly, self-gratification and corruption, Andrew appears never to have learned that lesson.