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The saga started with a solitary photograph, perhaps the most impactful ever captured of a member of the monarchy.

Present was the Duke of York, with his arm around a young woman, while a companion beamed suggestively in the backdrop.

Without that image, captured at a social event in 2001, it would have been difficult to accept the assertions of a adolescent who stated she was moved across the Atlantic and compelled to have brief sexual encounters with a prince of the monarchy?

An odd, indicative gesture by someone who had publicly asserted to have never been aware of her, said he could no have had relations with her, and yet handed over a substantial sum of monarchical money to settle a long-delayed legal case.

Over a Decade of Scandal

Against this backdrop, discussions of the royal family acting firmly to sever ties with Andrew are inaccurate. This affair has continued for the majority of 15 years since that photograph, and an additional photo of Andrew strolling congenially with a convicted sex offender emerged.

• Arrogance: How long did his family members, possibly even his mother and father, understand that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Problematic Connections: They must have realized, if his staff and the authorities were doing their jobs, that he had some highly questionable associates given he openly hosted them to royal residences.
• Monetary Excess: If the monarchy did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his overspending with public money.

Journeys were listed in public records: private aircraft flights from the estate to a sporting venue and back again in time for dining, private flights instead of regular transport, all for the comfort of "the travel enthusiast".

A Life of Privilege

Furthermore the entitlement which required subservience when he walked into a room or the supreme consciousness about his royal titles used on his official documents in communication to his personal acquaintances.

He could get away with it while his matriarch, who inexplicably indulged him, was still surviving. The monarch did at least remove him of public duties and ceremonial ranks in the consequence of his ill-fated and, it is now clear, deceptive television interview six years ago.

Recent Developments

It was only in the last two weeks that events sped up, following the release of books giving more grim particulars of his actions and that of his connections.

Additional revelations have again highlighted Andrew's belief that he could get away with lying about his relationship with a notorious figure.

Society (and the journalists) were far ahead of the royal family. There was nobody of any significance to defend him, a consequence of all those years of presumption.

Monarchical Concerns

The more astute royals realized that. The primary concern is to hand down the crown, if not as previously at least whole and unstained.

Over time the last 190 years trying to undo the image of past sovereigns, proving they are valuable, responsible and responsive to their citizens.

His actions endangered all that in danger in an time when deference and secrecy is no longer enough.

The Fallout

Eventually, the notoriously indecisive sovereign was pushed more. There was no other option. The institution had surrendered command of the story.

Currently the removal of designations and the persistent and permanent personal shame that will pain Andrew the most.

• Downgrading: Reduced to just Mr Mountbatten-Windsor
• Prior Instance: The initial royal to forfeit his titles in recent history
• Armed Forces: Notably hurtful given his role in the engagement

He continues to be a constitutional officer, in principle able to substitute for the sovereign, and he is still eighth in line to the monarchy, but neither of these will truly come to pass.

Future Prospects

Can persons he encounters still show respect to him? Might they still make mistakes and call him Sir? Might they say Sir,

Of course, he is not retiring to suburbia, but to the monarchy's large estate at Sandringham.

There, he will be supplied by the monarch with one of the royal residences and given some sort of financial support.

This is not his former home, where he paid a minimal rent for more than 20 years, and the area is a bit far, but even so it may not be adequate distance.

Outstanding Concerns

This is not over. There are still files in the hands of American legislators to be revealed.

• Political Pressure: Will parliament demand more
• Financial Investigation: Or investigate the misuse of taxpayer funds
• Criminal Investigation: There may even be a police investigation into his conduct

Maybe for the time being the institutional damage to the crown is contained. The statement from the institution was clearly that the revocation of designations was what the king, and especially other senior monarchical figures, wanted.

Altered Approach

The cessation of deception that Andrew was acting willingly. And, notably, the short announcement showed evidently that the institution were siding with the complainant's version of occurrences.

Even more, for the initial instance they ultimately showed regard for the victims: "The censures are considered essential, notwithstanding the reality that he continues to deny the allegations against him."

Finally it is arrogance, self-seeking and laziness that will undermine the crown. In his stupidity, self-indulgence and corruption, Andrew gives the impression never to have grasped that reality.