Stupidity and Royal Self-Entitlement Damaged Andrew, and It May Not Be Over Yet

The saga started with a solitary photograph, arguably the most significant ever taken of a member of the monarchy.

There stood the Duke of York, standing closely beside a teenage girl, while an associate beamed knowingly in the background.

Without that image, taken at a social event in 2001, few would have credited the claims of a teenager who declared she was moved across the ocean and forced to have brief sexual encounters with a member of the monarchy?

An odd, revealing action by someone who had publicly claimed to have not been aware of her, said he could not have had relations with her, and yet provided millions of his mother's funds to resolve a drawn-out court action.

Years of Scandal

In this context, talk of the royals acting swiftly to cut Andrew off are inaccurate. This controversy has continued for the better part of 15 years since that photograph, and an additional snapshot of Andrew walking congenially with a notorious individual came to light.

• Hubris: To what extent did his siblings, possibly even his relatives, know that Andrew was so self-entitled?
• Dubious Friendships: They must have known, if his employees and the authorities were doing their jobs, that he had some extremely unsavory associates given he publicly welcomed them to estates.
• Monetary Excess: If the family did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with taxpayer funds.

Journeys were documented in public records: private aircraft flights from the royal residence to a golf course and back again in time for dining, chartered planes instead of commercial flights, all for the convenience of "the frequent flyer".

A Life of Privilege

Then there was the presumption which expected subservience when he entered a room or the extreme awareness about his honorifics used on his correspondence in letters to his friends.

He managed to escape consequences while his matriarch, who unaccountably indulged him, was still alive. The monarch did at least remove him of royal responsibilities and ceremonial ranks in the aftermath of his disastrous and, it is now clear, deceptive media appearance six years ago.

Recent Developments

Merely in the last fortnight that events accelerated, following the issuance of accounts giving more disturbing information of his actions and that of his associates.

More information have again exposed Andrew's thinking that he could escape being untruthful about his contact with a notorious figure.

Society (and the media) were far in advance of the royals. There was nobody of any consequence to speak up for him, a consequence of all those years of arrogance.

Royal Worries

The more intelligent monarchical figures recognized that. The one imperative is to pass on the crown, if not as before at least intact and unblemished.

Over time the last 190 years trying to reverse the reputation of earlier rulers, proving they are beneficial, responsible and attentive to their subjects.

Andrew was putting all that in danger in an era when deference and privacy is no longer sufficient.

Consequences

Ultimately, the well-known uncertain monarch was pushed more. There was no other option. The institution had surrendered command of the account.

Currently the loss of designations and the ongoing and life-long personal shame that will hurt Andrew most deeply.

• Demotion: Reduced to just a private citizen
• Prior Instance: The initial monarch to forfeit his designations in recent history
• Naval Career: Especially hurtful given his service in the engagement

He remains a royal advisor, on paper able to act for the king, and he is still eighth in line to the throne, but not any of these will truly occur.

Coming Developments

Will people he meets still acknowledge him? Might they still slip up and call him Sir? Might they say Sir,

Naturally, he is not withdrawing to a common area, but to the sovereign's extensive estate at Sandringham.

In that place, he will be furnished by the sovereign with one of the estate properties and given some sort of private allowance.

This differs from his prior accommodation, where he paid a minimal lease for more than 20 years, and the county is a bit distant, but even so it may not be adequate distance.

Pending Matters

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

• Governmental Scrutiny: Could lawmakers request additional information
• Fiscal Review: Or scrutinize the misuse of public money
• Criminal Investigation: There may even be a police investigation into his behavior

Perhaps for the present the harm to the monarchy to the crown is contained. The narrative from the institution was clearly that the revocation of designations was what the monarch, and especially other senior royals, desired.

Altered Approach

An end to deception that Andrew was acting willingly. And, remarkably, the concise statement showed clearly that the monarchy were aligning with the victim's version of incidents.

Furthermore, for the initial instance they ultimately showed regard for the survivors: "The censures are considered essential, regardless of the truth that he maintains his innocence of the accusations against him."

Finally it is presumption, self-interest and laziness that will undermine the institution. In his foolishness, personal excess and corruption, Andrew gives the impression never to have learned that lesson.