Folly and Monarchical Hubris Ruined Andrew, and It Could Continue Yet

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

In the frame appeared the Baron Killyleagh, standing closely beside a young woman, while another individual smiled conspiratorially in the rear.

Lacking that image, taken at a gathering in 2001, who would have believed the allegations of a young woman who stated she was transported across the Atlantic and obliged to have perfunctory relations with a member of the royal family?

An odd, indicative move by someone who had overtly asserted to have not known about her, claimed he could no have had sex with her, and yet handed over millions of monarchical funds to avert a drawn-out legal case.

A Long Period of Disgrace

In this context, conversations of the monarchy acting decisively to distance themselves from Andrew are wide of the mark. This affair has endured for the largest portion of 15 years since that photograph, and a further photo of Andrew strolling pleasantly with a disgraced financier emerged.

• Hubris: How long did his brothers and sisters, possibly even his mother and father, realize that Andrew was so self-entitled?
• Questionable Associations: They must have realized, if his staff and the law enforcement were fulfilling their roles, that he had some deeply disreputable associates given he publicly hosted them to royal residences.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the family did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with taxpayer funds.

Journeys were documented in public records: helicopter transfers from the palace to a sporting venue and back again in time for midday meal, exclusive air travel instead of regular transport, all for the convenience of "the travel enthusiast".

Existence of Entitlement

Additionally the entitlement which expected deference when he entered a area or the extreme awareness about his designations used on his letterheads in letters to his associates.

He avoided accountability while his mother, who unaccountably spoiled him, was still living. The monarch did at least strip him of official roles and military positions in the consequence of his ill-fated and, it is now clear, deceptive public statement six years ago.

Recent Developments

Just in the last 14 days that events sped up, following the release of biographical works giving more grim information of his behavior and that of his associates.

Further disclosures have again revealed Andrew's belief that he could avoid deceiving about his contact with a notorious figure.

People (and the press) were far ahead of the royals. There was nobody of any consequence to defend him, a result of all those years of presumption.

Institutional Fears

The more astute royals realized that. The key objective is to hand down the crown, if not as before at least whole and unblemished.

Over time the last 190 years trying to reverse the image of earlier rulers, demonstrating they are useful, accountable and responsive to their citizens.

Andrew was putting all that in danger in an era when respect and discretion is no longer adequate.

The Fallout

Eventually, the famously indecisive king was prodded further. There was no other option. The royal household had surrendered command of the story.

Now it is the stripping of titles and the continued and permanent personal shame that will afflict Andrew the most.

• Reduction: Reduced to just a commoner
• Historical Precedent: The first member to lose his honorifics in modern times
• Military Service: Especially painful given his role in the Falklands war

He is still a counsellor of state, on paper able to act for the monarch, and he is still eighth in line to the crown, but neither of these will truly occur.

What Lies Ahead

Do individuals he comes across still acknowledge him? Could they still slip up and call him Sir? Might they say Andrew,

Of course, he is not retiring to suburbia, but to the monarchy's vast grounds at a monarchical property.

There, he will be provided by the monarch with one of the royal residences and given some type of private allowance.

It is not his former home, where he paid a nominal lease for more than 20 years, and the county is a bit far, but even so it may not be sufficiently removed.

Outstanding Concerns

The situation continues. There are still documents in the possession of US Congress to be disclosed.

• Political Pressure: Might legislators seek further action
• Fiscal Review: Or examine the waste of state resources
• Criminal Investigation: There may even be a police investigation into his behavior

Possibly for the time being the institutional damage to the monarchy is limited. The statement from the institution was clearly that the removal of designations was what the king, and particularly other senior royals, wanted.

Altered Approach

No more deception that Andrew was making the choice himself. And, significantly, the short announcement showed plainly that the royals were siding with the accuser's version of occurrences.

Even more, for the initial instance they eventually showed consideration for the survivors: "The measures are judged required, notwithstanding the truth that he maintains his innocence of the claims against him."

Finally it is arrogance, self-seeking and laziness that will kill the crown. In his folly, self-gratification and corruption, Andrew appears never to have learned that reality.