🔗 Share this article Stupidity and Royal Self-Entitlement Sunk Andrew, and It May Not Be Over Yet This episode commenced with a single photograph, possibly the most consequential ever captured of a royal family member. Present was the Earl of Inverness, arm-in-arm a teenage girl, while another individual beamed knowingly in the background. Without that snapshot, taken at a gathering in 2001, who would have believed the allegations of a teenager who declared she was transported across the Atlantic and compelled to have cursory relations with a prince of the royal family? An odd, indicative action by someone who had publicly claimed to have not heard of her, said he could not have had sex with her, and yet handed over a large amount of monarchical resources to settle a drawn-out lawsuit. Over a Decade of Controversy Considering this, conversations of the royals acting decisively to cut Andrew off are misguided. This scandal has endured for the largest portion of 15 years since that image, and a further photo of Andrew ambling congenially with a convicted sex offender came to light. Hubris: To what extent did his siblings, possibly even his parents, realize that Andrew was so self-entitled? Questionable Associations: They must have known, if his employees and the authorities were fulfilling their roles, that he had some extremely unsavory companions given he openly welcomed them to estates. Monetary Excess: If the family did not know about his personal conduct, they certainly knew about his extravagance with state resources. Journeys were documented in public records: chopper flights from the palace to a country club and back again in time for lunch, exclusive air travel instead of commercial flights, all for the benefit of "the frequent flyer". Existence of Entitlement Additionally the presumption which required subservience when he walked into a space or the profound consciousness about his designations used on his letterheads in letters to his associates. He avoided accountability while his mother, who inexplicably indulged him, was still alive. The sovereign did at least revoke him of royal responsibilities and honorary colonelcies in the aftermath of his disastrous and, it is now clear, untruthful media appearance six years ago. Recent Developments It was only in the last two weeks that events sped up, following the issuance of books giving more disturbing particulars of his conduct and that of his connections. More information have again highlighted Andrew's thinking that he could get away with deceiving about his interaction with a convicted criminal. Society (and the journalists) were far more perceptive of the monarchy. There was nobody of any consequence to defend him, a result of all those years of arrogance. Monarchical Concerns The more astute family members recognized that. The one imperative is to pass on the institution, if not as heretofore at least whole and unblemished. Over time the last 190 years trying to undo the image of past sovereigns, showing they are valuable, accountable and reactive to their people. Andrew was putting all that in danger in an age when deference and privacy is no longer enough. Aftermath Ultimately, the notoriously uncertain sovereign was pushed further. There was no alternative. The palace had lost control of the narrative. Now it is the removal of designations and the ongoing and permanent personal shame that will pain Andrew most severely. Downgrading: Reduced to just Mr Mountbatten-Windsor Past Example: The first royal to forfeit his titles in contemporary era Military Service: Notably stinging given his duty in the Falklands war He is still a counsellor of state, theoretically able to act for the monarch, and he is still in the succession to the crown, but not any of these will actually occur. What Lies Ahead Will people he meets still show respect to him? Will they still make mistakes and call him Your Highness? Might they say Andrew, Naturally, he is not withdrawing to a common area, but to the royal family's vast property at Sandringham. At that location, he will be provided by the monarch with one of the estate properties and given some form of financial support. This differs from his former home, where he paid a token rent 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 hands of overseas authorities to be made public. Governmental Scrutiny: Will lawmakers demand more Monetary Probe: Or investigate the waste of public money Judicial Potential: There may even be a law enforcement inquiry into his conduct Perhaps for the moment the harm to the monarchy to the crown is limited. The statement from the palace was clearly that the revocation of titles was what the monarch, and particularly other senior monarchical figures, wanted. A Shift in Position No more deception that Andrew was making the choice himself. And, notably, the brief announcement showed evidently that the royals were siding with the complainant's narrative of events. Furthermore, for the initial instance they finally showed concern for the survivors: "The measures are judged required, despite the reality that he persists in refuting the claims against him." Finally it is entitlement, self-interest and indolence that will undermine the institution. In his stupidity, personal excess and venality, Andrew seems never to have grasped that lesson.