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

In the frame appeared the Earl of Inverness, standing closely beside a female youth, while an associate grinned knowingly in the background.

Without that snapshot, captured at a social event in 2001, few would have credited the assertions of a adolescent who declared she was moved across the ocean and obliged to have perfunctory intimate contact with a member of the royal family?

An odd, telling move by someone who had overtly stated to have not heard of her, said he could never have had relations with her, and yet paid millions of his mother's funds to resolve a long-delayed lawsuit.

Over a Decade of Scandal

In this context, talk of the monarchy acting firmly to distance themselves from Andrew are misguided. This scandal has continued for the largest portion of 15 years since that picture, and another snapshot of Andrew ambling amiably with a disgraced financier emerged.

• Self-importance: How long did his brothers and sisters, perhaps even his relatives, know that Andrew was so presumptuous?
• Problematic Connections: They must have known, if his staff and the authorities were fulfilling their roles, that he had some extremely unsavory associates given he unabashedly invited them to royal residences.
• Financial Extravagance: If the family did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his overspending with taxpayer funds.

Travel were listed in public records: chopper flights from the palace to a country club and back again in time for lunch, chartered planes instead of commercial flights, all for the benefit of "Airmiles Andy".

World of Deference

Furthermore the presumption which expected respect when he appeared in a space or the supreme consciousness about his royal titles used on his correspondence in messages to his personal acquaintances.

He avoided accountability while his matriarch, who unaccountably indulged him, was still surviving. The Queen did at least remove him of official roles and honorary colonelcies in the aftermath of his catastrophic and, it is now clear, untruthful television interview six years ago.

Current Situation

Just in the last 14 days that events sped up, following the issuance of books giving more disturbing particulars of his actions and that of his connections.

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

Society (and the media) were far in advance of the monarchy. There was not a single person of any importance to defend him, a result of all those years of hubris.

Monarchical Concerns

The wiser monarchical figures understood that. The one imperative is to pass on the monarchy, if not as before at least complete and unstained.

Over time the last 190 years trying to undo the image of past sovereigns, showing they are useful, responsible and attentive to their subjects.

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

The Fallout

Ultimately, the notoriously indecisive king was prodded further. There was no alternative. The palace had surrendered command of the account.

Currently the loss of honorifics and the ongoing and life-long social disgrace that will hurt Andrew most deeply.

• Downgrading: Lowered to just Mr Mountbatten-Windsor
• Past Example: The initial monarch to surrender his titles in contemporary era
• Military Service: Particularly painful given his duty in the Falklands war

He remains a royal advisor, theoretically able to act for the sovereign, and he is still eighth in line to the crown, but neither of these will truly come to pass.

Coming Developments

Will people he meets still acknowledge him? Might they still slip up and call him Prince? Will they even say Mr,

Naturally, he is not withdrawing to suburbia, but to the sovereign's vast estate at a monarchical property.

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

This differs from his former home, where he paid a minimal lease for more than 20 years, and Norfolk is a bit far, but even so it may not be sufficiently removed.

Outstanding Concerns

This is not over. There are still records in the hands of US Congress to be disclosed.

• Political Pressure: Could lawmakers request additional information
• Financial Investigation: Or investigate the waste of taxpayer funds
• Judicial Potential: There may even be a police investigation into his conduct

Perhaps for the time being the harm to the monarchy to the monarchy is restricted. The message from the royal household was plainly that the revocation of designations was what the king, and notably other senior royals, wanted.

Altered Approach

The cessation of pretence that Andrew was doing it voluntarily. And, significantly, the short announcement showed clearly that the monarchy were siding with the complainant's version of events.

Even more, for the first time they ultimately showed consideration for the victims: "The measures are considered essential, despite the reality that he continues to deny the accusations against him."

In the end it is entitlement, self-seeking and indolence that will kill the institution. In his stupidity, personal excess and venality, Andrew appears never to have understood that reality.