Foolishness and Regal Arrogance Sunk Andrew, and It Might Persist Yet

It all began with a solitary photograph, possibly the most impactful ever snapped of a individual from the royal household.

There stood the Baron Killyleagh, with his arm around a teenage girl, while another individual beamed knowingly in the rear.

Without that photograph, taken at a social event in 2001, it would have been difficult to accept the claims of a teenager who stated she was moved across the ocean and compelled to have brief relations with a prince of the monarchy?

A strange, indicative action by someone who had openly claimed to have never heard of her, asserted he could no have had relations with her, and yet provided a large amount of monarchical resources to resolve a long-delayed court action.

A Long Period of Controversy

Against this backdrop, conversations of the royals acting swiftly to sever ties with Andrew are misguided. This scandal has continued for the better part of 15 years since that picture, and another image of Andrew strolling pleasantly with a disgraced financier emerged.

• Arrogance: For what duration did his siblings, possibly even his mother and father, know that Andrew was so presumptuous?
• Questionable Associations: They must have understood, if his employees and the law enforcement were performing their duties, that he had some extremely unsavory companions given he openly welcomed them to royal residences.
• Financial Extravagance: If the family did not know about his sexual proclivities, they certainly knew about his extravagance with state resources.

Travel were printed in public records: helicopter transfers from the royal residence to a sporting venue and back again in time for dining, exclusive air travel instead of scheduled services, all for the benefit of "Airmiles Andy".

Existence of Entitlement

Furthermore the presumption which required deference when he entered a room or the profound consciousness about his designations used on his official documents in communication to his friends.

He managed to escape consequences while his parent, who inexplicably spoiled him, was still surviving. The sovereign did at least strip him of royal responsibilities and military positions in the wake of his disastrous and, as revealed, mendacious television interview six years ago.

Latest Events

Merely in the last two weeks that events sped up, following the publication of books giving more grim particulars of his conduct and that of his companions.

Additional revelations have again exposed Andrew's belief that he could avoid lying about his contact with a convicted criminal.

People (and the media) were far ahead of the royals. There was not a single person of any importance to speak up for him, a result of all those years of hubris.

Monarchical Concerns

The wiser royals recognized that. The primary concern is to transfer the institution, if not as heretofore at least intact and unstained.

They have spent the last 190 years trying to undo the image of previous monarchs, showing they are useful, responsible and responsive to their citizens.

His actions endangered all that in jeopardy in an era when submission and discretion is no longer enough.

Consequences

Eventually, the notoriously uncertain sovereign was prodded additional. There was little choice. The royal household had relinquished authority of the story.

Currently the loss of honorifics and the continued and lifetime personal shame that will afflict Andrew most severely.

• Reduction: Lowered to just Mr Mountbatten-Windsor
• Prior Instance: The initial royal to forfeit his honorifics in contemporary era
• Military Service: Especially hurtful given his duty in the conflict

He remains a royal advisor, in principle able to act for the monarch, and he is still in the lineage to the throne, but not any of these will truly come to pass.

Coming Developments

Will people he meets still acknowledge him? Could they still forget themselves and call him Your Highness? Might they say Sir,

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

There, he will be furnished by the king with one of the grace and favour houses and given some sort of financial support.

This differs from his prior accommodation, where he paid a nominal lease for more than 20 years, and Norfolk is a bit remote, but even so it may not be far enough.

Unresolved Issues

The situation continues. There are still records in the possession of American legislators to be made public.

• Governmental Scrutiny: Might parliament demand more
• Fiscal Review: Or examine the improper use of taxpayer funds
• Criminal Investigation: There may even be a law enforcement inquiry into his actions

Perhaps for the time being the harm to the monarchy to the monarchy is contained. The narrative from the palace was clearly that the stripping of titles was what the monarch, and particularly other senior monarchical figures, wanted.

Changed Stance

The cessation of pretence that Andrew was making the choice himself. And, notably, the short announcement showed clearly that the institution were aligning with the accuser's narrative of events.

Furthermore, for the first time they ultimately showed concern for the victims: "The censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the reality that he persists in refuting the accusations against him."

Finally it is presumption, selfishness and laziness that will undermine the crown. In his foolishness, self-indulgence and corruption, Andrew gives the impression never to have learned that reality.