Foolishness and Royal Self-Entitlement Sunk Andrew, and It Could Continue Yet

It all began with a solitary photograph, arguably the most significant ever captured of a royal family member.

There stood the Baron Killyleagh, standing closely beside a female youth, while an associate grinned knowingly in the rear.

Lacking that photograph, captured at a gathering in 2001, few would have credited the allegations of a teenager who stated she was trafficked across the ocean and compelled to have brief relations with a prince of the royal family?

A curious, telling move by someone who had overtly stated to have not heard of her, asserted he could no have had sex with her, and yet provided millions of monarchical money to avert a drawn-out legal case.

A Long Period of Disgrace

In this context, conversations of the royals acting swiftly to distance themselves from Andrew are inaccurate. This affair has continued for the largest portion of 15 years since that image, and a further image of Andrew walking pleasantly with a disgraced financier surfaced.

• Hubris: To what extent did his siblings, maybe even his mother and father, know that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have known, if his staff and the law enforcement were fulfilling their roles, that he had some extremely unsavory associates given he unabashedly invited them to royal residences.
• Monetary Excess: If the monarchy did not know about his sexual proclivities, they certainly knew about his extravagance with taxpayer funds.

Travel were documented in official documents: helicopter travel from the royal residence to a sporting venue and back again in time for lunch, exclusive air travel instead of scheduled services, all for the convenience of "Airmiles Andy".

World of Deference

Additionally the presumption which required subservience when he walked into a room or the profound awareness about his designations used on his official documents in communication to his associates.

He avoided accountability while his parent, who strangely pampered him, was still alive. The Queen did at least remove him of royal responsibilities and honorary colonelcies in the aftermath of his ill-fated and, as revealed, mendacious television interview six years ago.

Current Situation

It was only in the last fortnight that events progressed rapidly, following the publication of biographical works giving more grim details of his conduct and that of his associates.

More information have again revealed Andrew's thinking that he could escape lying about his interaction with a convicted criminal.

Society (and the press) were far more perceptive of the royals. There was not a single person of any importance to support him, a consequence of all those years of hubris.

Institutional Fears

The more intelligent family members recognized that. The key objective is to hand down the institution, if not as previously at least complete and unstained.

For generations the last 190 years trying to undo the legacy of previous monarchs, showing they are beneficial, accountable and reactive to their subjects.

His actions endangered all that in danger in an era when deference and privacy is no longer sufficient.

The Fallout

Ultimately, the well-known hesitant sovereign was prodded more. There was no alternative. The royal household had lost control of the story.

Presently the loss of designations and the persistent and permanent social disgrace that will pain Andrew the most.

• Reduction: Reduced to just a private citizen
• Prior Instance: The primary monarch to lose his designations in contemporary era
• Naval Career: Particularly painful given his service in the engagement

He continues to be a counsellor of state, theoretically able to act for the sovereign, and he is still eighth in line to the throne, but not any of these will actually occur.

Coming Developments

Do individuals he encounters still acknowledge him? Might they still forget themselves and call him Sir? Would they say Sir,

Naturally, he is not retiring to a common area, but to the sovereign's large estate at a royal residence.

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

This is not his previous residence, where he paid a token rent for more than 20 years, and Norfolk is a bit distant, but even so it may not be far enough.

Outstanding Concerns

This is not over. There are still files in the custody of US Congress to be revealed.

• Governmental Scrutiny: Could lawmakers request additional information
• Fiscal Review: Or scrutinize the improper use of state resources
• Judicial Potential: There may even be a police investigation into his behavior

Possibly for the present the harm to the monarchy to the monarchy is restricted. The statement from the institution was plainly that the stripping of designations was what the monarch, and particularly other senior family members, desired.

A Shift in Position

No more pretence that Andrew was doing it voluntarily. And, remarkably, the concise communication showed plainly that the monarchy were supporting the accuser's account of incidents.

Additionally, for the first time they finally showed regard for the affected individuals: "These actions are judged required, regardless of the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him."

In the end it is arrogance, self-interest and indolence that will undermine the crown. In his stupidity, self-gratification and greed, Andrew seems never to have understood that lesson.