đź”— Share this article Stupidity and Royal Self-Entitlement Sunk Andrew, and It Could Continue Yet The saga started with a isolated photograph, perhaps the most impactful ever snapped of a royal family member. Present was the Baron Killyleagh, arm-in-arm a young woman, while an associate smiled knowingly in the backdrop. Absent that image, shot at a party in 2001, who would have believed the allegations of a young woman who said she was transported across the Atlantic and forced to have brief intimate contact with a prince of the royal bloodline? An odd, telling move by someone who had publicly stated to have not been aware of her, claimed he could no have had intimate contact with her, and yet handed over a large amount of his mother's resources to settle a long-delayed court action. A Long Period of Controversy In this context, talk of the royals acting firmly to cut Andrew off are wide of the mark. This scandal has persisted for the largest portion of 15 years since that picture, and another image of Andrew walking congenially with a convicted sex offender came to light. Hubris: For what duration did his family members, perhaps even his parents, realize that Andrew was so presumptuous? Problematic Connections: They must have realized, if his staff and the law enforcement were fulfilling their roles, that he had some highly questionable associates given he publicly hosted them to palaces. Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the family did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his overspending with taxpayer funds. Travel were documented in royal annual reports: chopper flights from the palace to a sporting venue and back again in time for lunch, private flights instead of regular transport, all for the benefit of "Airmiles Andy". Existence of Entitlement Additionally the presumption which demanded subservience when he appeared in a space or the supreme obsession about his royal titles used on his correspondence in letters to his friends. He managed to escape consequences while his parent, who strangely spoiled him, was still alive. The Queen did at least remove him of official roles and ceremonial ranks in the wake of his ill-fated and, we now know, deceptive media appearance six years ago. Recent Developments It was only in the last two weeks that events progressed rapidly, following the publication of accounts giving more grim details of his actions and that of his connections. Additional revelations have again exposed Andrew's belief that he could get away with deceiving about his relationship with a disgraced individual. People (and the media) were far in advance of the monarchy. There was not a single person of any significance to speak up for him, a consequence of all those years of hubris. Institutional Fears The more intelligent royals understood that. The primary concern is to hand down the institution, if not as before at least intact and unstained. For generations the last 190 years trying to reverse the image of earlier rulers, showing they are valuable, accountable and responsive to their citizens. His actions endangered all that in danger in an age when submission and secrecy is no longer sufficient. Consequences Finally, the well-known hesitant monarch was pushed more. There was no alternative. The royal household had surrendered command of the narrative. Now it is the stripping of honorifics and the continued and life-long social disgrace that will pain Andrew the most. Downgrading: Demoted to just a private citizen Past Example: The initial monarch to surrender his titles in contemporary era Naval Career: Especially painful given his duty in the engagement He continues to be a royal advisor, in principle able to substitute for the sovereign, and he is still in the lineage to the monarchy, but not any of these will ever come to pass. What Lies Ahead Will people he comes across still defer to him? Might they still slip up and call him Sir? Would they say Sir, Certainly, he is not retiring to a common area, but to the sovereign's large property at Sandringham. There, he will be provided by the king with one of the grace and favour houses and given some sort of financial support. It is not his previous residence, where he paid a nominal payment for more than 20 years, and Norfolk is a bit distant, but even so it may not be far enough. Unresolved Issues This is not over. There are still records in the possession of overseas authorities to be disclosed. Parliamentary Interest: Will parliament request additional information Financial Investigation: Or examine the waste of state resources Judicial Potential: There may even be a police investigation into his conduct Maybe for the time being the reputational impact to the monarchy is contained. The narrative from the institution was clearly that the stripping of titles was what the sovereign, and notably other senior royals, wanted. A Shift in Position No more pretence that Andrew was doing it voluntarily. And, significantly, the short statement showed evidently that the monarchy were supporting the victim's version of occurrences. Furthermore, for the first time they eventually showed concern for the survivors: "The measures are judged required, notwithstanding the fact that he maintains his innocence of the accusations against him." Finally it is arrogance, selfishness and inactivity that will undermine the monarchy. In his foolishness, self-gratification and venality, Andrew gives the impression never to have learned that reality.