🔗 Share this article Stupidity and Royal Self-Entitlement Damaged Andrew, and It Could Continue Yet It all began with a single photograph, arguably the most consequential ever taken of a member of the monarchy. There stood the Duke of York, with his arm around a female youth, while an associate grinned knowingly in the background. Absent that image, shot at a social event in 2001, few would have credited the claims of a young woman who stated she was trafficked across the ocean and compelled to have brief relations with a individual of the monarchy? A curious, telling gesture by someone who had publicly asserted to have not been aware of her, claimed he could not have had intimate contact with her, and yet paid a substantial sum of his mother's money to settle a drawn-out court action. A Long Period of Disgrace In this context, conversations of the monarchy acting firmly to sever ties with Andrew are misguided. This scandal has continued for the better part of 15 years since that photograph, and an additional snapshot of Andrew ambling pleasantly with a notorious individual came to light. Self-importance: For what duration did his brothers and sisters, possibly even his relatives, know that Andrew was so self-entitled? Problematic Connections: They must have realized, if his staff and the law enforcement were fulfilling their roles, that he had some highly questionable friends given he publicly hosted them to royal residences. Monetary Excess: If the household did not know about his sexual proclivities, they certainly knew about his extravagance with public money. Journeys were documented in public records: chopper travel from the estate to a golf course and back again in time for dining, chartered planes instead of regular transport, all for the benefit of "the travel enthusiast". World of Deference Then there was the arrogance which required deference when he walked into a space or the extreme consciousness about his honorifics used on his correspondence in messages to his associates. He managed to escape consequences while his parent, who unaccountably spoiled him, was still surviving. The monarch did at least strip him of royal responsibilities and honorary colonelcies in the wake of his catastrophic and, as revealed, untruthful media appearance six years ago. Current Situation Merely in the last two weeks that events accelerated, following the release of books giving more grim details of his actions and that of his companions. Further disclosures have again revealed Andrew's belief that he could avoid deceiving about his interaction with a notorious figure. People (and the press) were far more perceptive of the royal family. There was no one of any consequence to speak up for him, a result of all those years of hubris. Institutional Fears The wiser family members understood that. The key objective is to hand down the institution, if not as heretofore at least whole and unblemished. Over time the last 190 years trying to undo the reputation of past sovereigns, showing they are beneficial, dutiful and responsive to their people. He was placing all that in peril in an time when submission and secrecy is no longer sufficient. Consequences Finally, the well-known indecisive monarch was pushed more. There was no alternative. The institution had lost control of the account. Now it is the loss of designations and the ongoing and lifetime personal shame that will pain Andrew most deeply. Reduction: Lowered to just a private citizen Past Example: The primary monarch to lose his titles in contemporary era Military Service: Notably stinging given his service in the engagement He remains a constitutional officer, theoretically able to act for the sovereign, and he is still eighth in line to the throne, but none of these will ever come to pass. What Lies Ahead Do individuals he encounters still acknowledge him? Could they still make mistakes and call him Your Highness? Might they say Sir, Of course, he is not withdrawing to suburbia, but to the royal family's large grounds at Sandringham. There, he will be provided by the king with one of the estate properties and given some form of financial support. This is not his previous residence, where he paid a minimal lease for more than 20 years, and the area is a bit far, but even so it may not be far enough. Unresolved Issues Matters remain unresolved. There are still records in the possession of US Congress to be made public. Political Pressure: Might parliament request additional information Financial Investigation: Or examine the waste of taxpayer funds Criminal Investigation: There may even be a law enforcement inquiry into his behavior Maybe for the time being the reputational impact to the crown is limited. The statement from the institution was plainly that the stripping of titles was what the king, and particularly other senior royals, wanted. A Shift in Position No more deception that Andrew was making the choice himself. And, notably, the concise statement showed clearly that the royals were aligning with the victim's account of incidents. Furthermore, for the premiere occasion they finally showed consideration for the affected individuals: "The censures are considered essential, notwithstanding the reality that he maintains his innocence of the allegations against him." Ultimately it is entitlement, selfishness and inactivity that will undermine the institution. In his foolishness, personal excess and greed, Andrew appears never to have learned that reality.