Folly and Royal Self-Entitlement Sunk Andrew, and It Could Continue Yet

It all began with a isolated photograph, arguably the most significant ever captured of a royal family member.

In the frame appeared the Earl of Inverness, with his arm around a female youth, while another individual grinned knowingly in the rear.

Lacking that snapshot, captured at a gathering in 2001, few would have credited the allegations of a young woman who said she was transported across the Atlantic and obliged to have brief sexual encounters with a prince of the royal bloodline?

A strange, indicative gesture by someone who had publicly claimed to have no been aware of her, claimed he could no have had intimate contact with her, and yet handed over millions of his mother's funds to settle a drawn-out lawsuit.

A Long Period of Controversy

Against this backdrop, conversations of the royals acting decisively to distance themselves from Andrew are wide of the mark. This scandal has continued for the majority of 15 years since that image, and a further snapshot of Andrew strolling amiably with a convicted sex offender emerged.

• Self-importance: How long did his siblings, possibly even his mother and father, realize that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Problematic Connections: They must have realized, if his aides and the police were fulfilling their roles, that he had some deeply disreputable friends given he unabashedly invited them to palaces.
• Fiscal Irresponsibility: If the monarchy did not know about his sexual proclivities, they certainly knew about his extravagance with public money.

Trips were documented in royal annual reports: chopper travel from the estate to a country club and back again in time for dining, private flights instead of regular transport, all for the benefit of "Airmiles Andy".

A Life of Privilege

Then there was the presumption which expected deference when he entered a space or the extreme awareness about his designations used on his correspondence in communication to his associates.

He avoided accountability while his parent, who unaccountably indulged him, was still surviving. The sovereign did at least revoke him of public duties and ceremonial ranks in the consequence of his disastrous and, as revealed, mendacious television interview six years ago.

Latest Events

Just in the last fortnight that events progressed rapidly, following the publication of books giving more troubling details of his actions and that of his associates.

Additional revelations have again highlighted Andrew's thinking that he could escape deceiving about his relationship with a disgraced individual.

People (and the press) were far in advance of the royal family. There was nobody of any significance to defend him, a consequence of all those years of hubris.

Royal Worries

The more intelligent monarchical figures realized that. The one imperative is to pass on the crown, if not as heretofore at least complete and unblemished.

They have spent the last 190 years trying to overcome the reputation of previous monarchs, proving they are valuable, responsible and attentive to their people.

He was placing all that in jeopardy in an time when submission and privacy is no longer sufficient.

Consequences

Eventually, the notoriously uncertain sovereign was pressured more. There was no alternative. The institution had lost control of the story.

Currently the loss of designations and the persistent and life-long social disgrace that will hurt Andrew most severely.

• Reduction: Demoted to just a commoner
• Past Example: The primary member to forfeit his titles in contemporary era
• Naval Career: Especially painful given his duty in the engagement

He is still a constitutional officer, theoretically able to stand in for the sovereign, and he is still in the lineage to the crown, but neither of these will ever happen.

Future Prospects

Can persons he comes across still acknowledge him? Could they still slip up and call him Prince? Will they even say Mr,

Certainly, he is not retiring to a common area, but to the monarchy's extensive grounds at a royal residence.

At that location, he will be supplied by the king with one of the royal residences and given some sort of personal stipend.

This is not his former home, where he paid a minimal lease for more than 20 years, and the county is a bit far, but even so it may not be adequate distance.

Outstanding Concerns

The situation continues. There are still files in the possession of American legislators to be revealed.

• Governmental Scrutiny: Could lawmakers request additional information
• Monetary Probe: Or investigate the waste of taxpayer funds
• Criminal Investigation: There may even be a law enforcement inquiry into his behavior

Possibly for the time being the harm to the monarchy to the monarchy is restricted. The statement from the palace was clearly that the removal of designations was what the monarch, and especially other senior family members, desired.

Changed Stance

The cessation of illusion that Andrew was doing it voluntarily. And, notably, the concise communication showed evidently that the royals were aligning with the victim's account of occurrences.

Additionally, for the premiere occasion they finally showed concern for the affected individuals: "These actions are considered essential, despite the reality that he persists in refuting the allegations against him."

In the end it is entitlement, self-interest and inactivity that will kill the crown. In his foolishness, self-gratification and venality, Andrew seems never to have learned that reality.