Foolishness and Royal Self-Entitlement Ruined Andrew, and It Might Persist Yet

It all began with a isolated photograph, arguably the most consequential ever snapped of a individual from the royal household.

There stood the Earl of Inverness, standing closely beside a young woman, while a companion grinned knowingly in the rear.

Lacking that photograph, taken at a gathering in 2001, few would have credited the claims of a teenager who said she was moved across the sea and forced to have perfunctory intimate contact with a prince of the monarchy?

A curious, revealing gesture by someone who had overtly stated to have never been aware of her, said he could not have had relations with her, and yet paid a large amount of family resources to resolve a long-delayed lawsuit.

A Long Period of Disgrace

Against this backdrop, talk of the royals acting decisively to sever ties with Andrew are wide of the mark. This affair has persisted for the largest portion of 15 years since that image, and an additional photo of Andrew walking congenially with a notorious individual came to light.

• Self-importance: How long did his brothers and sisters, perhaps even his relatives, understand that Andrew was so self-entitled?
• Problematic Connections: They must have realized, if his staff and the authorities were fulfilling their roles, that he had some extremely unsavory companions given he publicly welcomed them to palaces.
• Financial Extravagance: If the household did not know about his intimate behaviors, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with public money.

Journeys were printed in public records: helicopter transfers from the estate to a sporting venue and back again in time for midday meal, chartered planes instead of scheduled services, all for the benefit of "the frequent flyer".

A Life of Privilege

Furthermore the presumption which demanded respect when he entered a space or the profound consciousness about his designations used on his letterheads in messages 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 public duties and military positions in the consequence of his ill-fated and, we now know, untruthful media appearance six years ago.

Current Situation

Merely in the last fortnight that events accelerated, following the publication of books giving more disturbing information of his behavior and that of his associates.

Additional revelations have again exposed Andrew's thinking that he could escape being untruthful about his interaction with a convicted criminal.

The public (and the press) were far in advance of the royals. There was nobody of any significance to support him, a consequence of all those years of hubris.

Institutional Fears

The more astute family members understood that. The one imperative is to hand down the crown, if not as previously at least complete and untarnished.

Over time the last 190 years trying to reverse the reputation of past sovereigns, proving they are beneficial, responsible and reactive to their people.

Andrew was putting all that in peril in an age when respect and secrecy is no longer adequate.

Aftermath

Ultimately, the famously hesitant monarch was pressured further. There was little choice. The royal household had lost control of the account.

Now it is the stripping of designations and the ongoing and life-long personal shame that will pain Andrew most deeply.

• Downgrading: Lowered to just a private citizen
• Historical Precedent: The initial monarch to lose his titles in recent history
• Naval Career: Especially hurtful given his service in the Falklands war

He continues to be a royal advisor, in principle able to substitute for the monarch, and he is still in the succession to the throne, but neither of these will actually happen.

Future Prospects

Will people he comes across still acknowledge him? Could they still make mistakes and call him Sir? Would they say Mr,

Naturally, he is not retiring to an ordinary town, but to the sovereign's large property at Sandringham.

In that place, he will be provided by the king with one of the grace and favour houses and given some sort of personal stipend.

It is not his prior accommodation, where he paid a nominal payment for more than 20 years, and the county is a bit distant, but even so it may not be sufficiently removed.

Pending Matters

This is not over. There are still documents in the possession of US Congress to be disclosed.

• Parliamentary Interest: Will lawmakers request additional information
• Fiscal Review: Or scrutinize the misuse of public money
• Criminal Investigation: There may even be a police investigation into his conduct

Possibly for the moment the harm to the monarchy to the crown is restricted. The statement from the palace was clearly that the removal of honorifics was what the king, and notably other senior family members, wanted.

Altered Approach

An end to illusion that Andrew was doing it voluntarily. And, remarkably, the brief announcement showed clearly that the monarchy were aligning with the complainant's narrative of occurrences.

Even more, for the initial instance they eventually showed consideration for the affected individuals: "The measures are deemed necessary, regardless of the fact that he persists in refuting the allegations against him."

Ultimately it is presumption, self-seeking and laziness that will undermine the institution. In his folly, self-gratification and corruption, Andrew appears never to have grasped that truth.