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This episode commenced with a solitary photograph, possibly the most impactful ever taken of a royal family member.

In the frame appeared the Earl of Inverness, standing closely beside a teenage girl, while an associate smiled conspiratorially in the rear.

Lacking that image, captured at a party in 2001, few would have credited the claims of a adolescent who declared she was trafficked across the ocean and forced to have cursory relations with a individual of the royal bloodline?

A curious, indicative move by someone who had overtly asserted to have never been aware of her, claimed he could never have had intimate contact with her, and yet paid a large amount of monarchical resources to settle a long-delayed legal case.

Years of Disgrace

In this context, discussions of the monarchy acting firmly to distance themselves from Andrew are inaccurate. This affair has persisted for the better part of 15 years since that image, and an additional photo of Andrew walking amiably with a notorious individual emerged.

• Self-importance: How long did his siblings, possibly even his relatives, understand that Andrew was so self-entitled?
• Problematic Connections: They must have understood, if his staff and the authorities were fulfilling their roles, that he had some deeply disreputable companions given he unabashedly invited them to royal residences.
• Monetary Excess: If the household did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his extravagance with public money.

Trips were listed in official documents: private aircraft travel from the royal residence to a country club and back again in time for dining, exclusive air travel instead of commercial flights, all for the benefit of "Airmiles Andy".

A Life of Privilege

Additionally the presumption which required respect when he entered a space or the profound awareness about his royal titles used on his letterheads in communication to his friends.

He could get away with it while his matriarch, who unaccountably pampered him, was still surviving. The Queen did at least revoke him of royal responsibilities and ceremonial ranks in the wake of his catastrophic and, it is now clear, untruthful public statement six years ago.

Recent Developments

Merely in the last 14 days that events accelerated, following the issuance of books giving more disturbing details of his behavior and that of his companions.

Additional revelations have again exposed Andrew's assumption that he could avoid lying about his contact with a disgraced individual.

People (and the media) were far ahead of the royal family. There was not a single person of any importance to support him, a consequence of all those years of arrogance.

Institutional Fears

The wiser monarchical figures recognized that. The one imperative is to hand down the crown, if not as before at least complete and untarnished.

For generations the last 190 years trying to undo the legacy of previous monarchs, demonstrating they are useful, dutiful and responsive to their subjects.

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

The Fallout

Finally, the notoriously uncertain sovereign was prodded additional. There was no alternative. The palace had surrendered command of the story.

Now it is the loss of titles and the persistent and lifetime social disgrace that will pain Andrew most severely.

• Downgrading: Lowered to just Mr Mountbatten-Windsor
• Past Example: The primary monarch to forfeit his designations in contemporary era
• Armed Forces: Notably hurtful given his duty in the engagement

He remains a counsellor of state, in principle able to act for the sovereign, and he is still eighth in line to the crown, but neither of these will actually occur.

Coming Developments

Will people he meets still show respect to him? Could they still forget themselves and call him Prince? Will they even say Andrew,

Certainly, he is not moving to an ordinary town, but to the sovereign's extensive grounds at a royal residence.

At that location, he will be supplied by the monarch with one of the grace and favour houses and given some sort of private allowance.

It is not his former home, where he paid a token rent for more than 20 years, and Norfolk is a bit far, but even so it may not be far enough.

Outstanding Concerns

The situation continues. There are still files in the hands of US Congress to be revealed.

• Parliamentary Interest: Could lawmakers seek further action
• Financial Investigation: Or investigate the misuse of state resources
• Legal Possibility: There may even be a police investigation into his actions

Maybe for the present the reputational impact to the monarchy is limited. The message from the institution was clearly that the revocation of titles was what the monarch, and notably other senior monarchical figures, desired.

Altered Approach

The cessation of illusion that Andrew was doing it voluntarily. And, remarkably, the brief communication showed evidently that the institution were supporting the complainant's account of incidents.

Furthermore, for the premiere occasion they ultimately showed regard for the affected individuals: "The censures are judged required, regardless of the fact that he continues to deny the accusations against him."

In the end it is presumption, self-interest and laziness that will kill the crown. In his folly, self-gratification and corruption, Andrew gives the impression never to have learned that lesson.