🔗 Share this article

The saga started with a single photograph, perhaps the most significant ever taken of a individual from the royal household.

Present was the Earl of Inverness, with his arm around a young woman, while a companion smiled suggestively in the background.

Without that snapshot, captured at a party in 2001, it would have been difficult to accept the assertions of a adolescent who declared she was transported across the ocean and forced to have cursory intimate contact with a individual of the monarchy?

An odd, telling action by someone who had openly claimed to have never been aware of her, claimed he could not have had relations with her, and yet provided a substantial sum of family money to settle a long-delayed lawsuit.

Years of Disgrace

Considering this, discussions of the royal family acting swiftly to cut Andrew off are inaccurate. This scandal has continued for the better part of 15 years since that photograph, and another image of Andrew strolling congenially with a notorious individual came to light.

• Self-importance: For what duration did his brothers and sisters, perhaps even his relatives, know that Andrew was so presumptuous?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have known, if his aides and the police were fulfilling their roles, that he had some extremely unsavory companions given he unabashedly invited them to estates.
• 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 royal annual reports: helicopter travel from the palace to a golf course and back again in time for midday meal, exclusive air travel instead of scheduled services, all for the benefit of "the frequent flyer".

Existence of Entitlement

Then there was the entitlement which expected deference when he appeared in a area or the extreme obsession about his designations used on his official documents in messages to his friends.

He avoided accountability while his parent, who strangely spoiled him, was still alive. The Queen did at least remove him of royal responsibilities and ceremonial ranks in the aftermath of his disastrous and, it is now clear, mendacious public statement six years ago.

Recent Developments

It was only in the last 14 days that events sped up, following the release of biographical works giving more disturbing particulars of his actions and that of his companions.

Additional revelations have again revealed Andrew's thinking that he could get away with lying about his contact with a notorious figure.

Society (and the media) were far in advance of the royal family. There was no one of any importance to support him, a result of all those years of hubris.

Monarchical Concerns

The wiser family members recognized that. The key objective is to hand down the monarchy, if not as heretofore at least whole and untarnished.

For generations the last 190 years trying to overcome the reputation of earlier rulers, demonstrating they are useful, responsible and reactive to their subjects.

His actions endangered all that in danger in an age when respect and secrecy is no longer adequate.

Aftermath

Ultimately, the notoriously indecisive monarch was pushed additional. There was no other option. The royal household had surrendered command of the account.

Now it is the stripping of titles and the persistent and life-long social disgrace that will afflict Andrew most deeply.

• Demotion: Reduced to just a commoner
• Prior Instance: The initial royal to lose his titles in modern times
• Naval Career: Notably stinging given his service in the engagement

He continues to be a counsellor of state, in principle able to act for the king, and he is still in the lineage to the monarchy, but none of these will truly come to pass.

What Lies Ahead

Can persons he comes across still acknowledge him? Will they still slip up and call him Your Highness? Will they even say Andrew,

Of course, he is not moving to a common area, but to the monarchy's extensive estate at Sandringham.

At that location, he will be provided by the monarch with one of the estate properties and given some form of personal stipend.

It is not his prior accommodation, where he paid a nominal lease for more than 20 years, and the area is a bit remote, but even so it may not be adequate distance.

Outstanding Concerns

The situation continues. There are still documents in the custody of overseas authorities to be made public.

• Political Pressure: Might legislators request additional information
• Financial Investigation: Or investigate the misuse of taxpayer funds
• Legal Possibility: There may even be a criminal probe into his conduct

Perhaps for the moment the harm to the monarchy to the institution is limited. The statement from the institution was plainly that the revocation of honorifics was what the king, and notably other senior monarchical figures, desired.

Altered Approach

The cessation of illusion that Andrew was acting willingly. And, significantly, the short communication showed evidently that the monarchy were supporting the accuser's account of incidents.

Even more, for the initial instance they finally showed concern for the survivors: "The censures are considered essential, notwithstanding the fact that he maintains his innocence of the claims against him."

Finally it is arrogance, self-interest and inactivity that will kill the crown. In his stupidity, self-indulgence and corruption, Andrew gives the impression never to have learned that truth.