Stupidity and Monarchical Hubris Ruined Andrew, and It Might Persist Yet

It all began with a single photograph, possibly the most significant ever taken of a member of the monarchy.

There stood the Baron Killyleagh, with his arm around a young woman, while an associate beamed knowingly in the rear.

Without that snapshot, taken at a gathering in 2001, it would have been difficult to accept the claims of a teenager who stated she was trafficked across the Atlantic and compelled to have perfunctory intimate contact with a member of the royal bloodline?

An odd, indicative gesture by someone who had openly stated to have no been aware of her, claimed he could not have had relations with her, and yet handed over a large amount of his mother's money to avert a protracted court action.

Years of Scandal

Against this backdrop, conversations of the royals acting decisively to sever ties with Andrew are wide of the mark. This affair has continued for the better part of 15 years since that image, and a further photo of Andrew walking pleasantly with a disgraced financier surfaced.

• Hubris: How long did his brothers and sisters, perhaps even his mother and father, realize that Andrew was so arrogant?
• Problematic Connections: They must have understood, if his employees and the police were performing their duties, that he had some extremely unsavory friends given he publicly hosted them to royal residences.
• Financial Extravagance: If the household did not know about his sexual proclivities, they certainly knew about his wastefulness with state resources.

Travel were listed in public records: helicopter flights from the palace to a sporting venue and back again in time for lunch, exclusive air travel instead of commercial flights, all for the comfort of "the frequent flyer".

A Life of Privilege

Then there was the presumption which expected respect when he walked into a area or the supreme awareness about his royal titles used on his official documents in letters to his friends.

He managed to escape consequences while his matriarch, who inexplicably indulged him, was still living. The monarch did at least revoke him of royal responsibilities and military positions in the wake of his ill-fated and, we now know, untruthful media appearance six years ago.

Latest Events

Just in the last 14 days that events progressed rapidly, following the publication of biographical works giving more grim information of his behavior and that of his connections.

More information have again highlighted Andrew's assumption that he could get away with being untruthful about his contact with a notorious figure.

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

Monarchical Concerns

The wiser royals recognized that. The key objective is to hand down the crown, if not as before at least complete and unstained.

Over time the last 190 years trying to reverse the legacy of earlier rulers, demonstrating they are beneficial, dutiful and reactive to their subjects.

His actions endangered all that in peril in an time when respect and privacy is no longer adequate.

Consequences

Ultimately, the well-known uncertain king was pressured additional. There was little choice. The institution had lost control of the narrative.

Currently the removal of titles and the ongoing and permanent social disgrace that will pain Andrew most deeply.

• Demotion: Reduced to just a commoner
• Prior Instance: The initial member to lose his titles in recent history
• Naval Career: Especially hurtful given his service in the conflict

He is still a royal advisor, in principle able to act for the king, and he is still in the lineage to the crown, but not any of these will truly happen.

What Lies Ahead

Do individuals he comes across still acknowledge him? Will they still slip up and call him Sir? Might they say Andrew,

Of course, he is not withdrawing to suburbia, but to the monarchy's vast estate at a monarchical property.

There, he will be provided by the sovereign with one of the grace and favour houses and given some form of personal stipend.

This differs from his former home, where he paid a token rent for more than 20 years, and Norfolk is a bit distant, but even so it may not be adequate distance.

Outstanding Concerns

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

• Parliamentary Interest: Could lawmakers demand more
• Monetary Probe: Or scrutinize the misuse of public money
• Legal Possibility: There may even be a criminal probe into his conduct

Possibly for the present the reputational impact to the monarchy is limited. The narrative from the institution was plainly that the removal of designations was what the monarch, and notably other senior royals, desired.

A Shift in Position

An end to illusion that Andrew was making the choice himself. And, notably, the brief communication showed evidently that the monarchy were supporting the complainant's version of incidents.

Even more, for the initial instance they ultimately showed regard for the survivors: "The censures are judged required, despite the reality that he continues to deny the accusations against him."

Finally it is arrogance, selfishness and indolence that will destroy the institution. In his stupidity, personal excess and corruption, Andrew appears never to have learned that truth.