How the Duke's Removal of Titles Means for Sarah Ferguson, Princess Beatrice and Eugenie

York Family Figures

The Duke's exit from the final remnants of royal life has not only reshaped his future - it's creating waves through his immediate relatives too.

Fergie's New Status

The former spouse has now surrendered her ducal status and will simply be known as Sarah Ferguson.

For Sarah, 66, the transition will be the most visible.

Throughout this period, she has kept the courtesy royal divorcee title Sarah, Duchess of York. Now, she reverts to her birth name of Ferguson.

"She has lost a bit of cachet over this," noted one royal commentator. "She definitely does use the title – even her Twitter bio is @SarahTheDuchess."

But the loss of her title may impact her much less than the scandal she's dealing with independently about her own connections to the convicted financier.

Last month, several charities dropped her as ambassador after an email from 2011 revealed that she referred to Epstein her "supreme friend" and seemed to apologise for her negative comments of him.

Business Ventures and Charity Work

Away from her charitable activities, Ferguson also has various business ventures.

And these ventures, are more likely to be affected by the Epstein scandal than any alteration in status, notes one monarchy analyst.

But Ferguson has been a remarkable endure in royal circles. She's kept bouncing back.

"She's the ultimate survivor and master of reinvention," commented one royal author.

The Princesses

Princess Eugenie during occasion
Princess Beatrice and Princess Beatrice pictured at a royal celebration in last year

For the couple's offspring, Beatrice, thirty-seven, and Eugenie, thirty-five, there's no official alteration.

They continue to be known as royal princesses, which they have been entitled to since their birth.

Additionally there is no change to the line of succession.

The prince stays eighth position to the crown, succeeded by his children Beatrice and Eugenie, in ninth and twelfth place respectively.

But in practice their positions are "distant" and will probably become even more remote as time goes on.

Coming Opportunities

The princesses are also currently non-official royals, and while they occasionally accept positions – Princess Eugenie was recently named as a mentor for the monarch's charity network – commentators also say they "don't envision a world" in which they would advance into royal duties.

"Regarding Beatrice and Eugenie go, I think there's an appreciation of the fact that this controversy doesn't involve them, and it's unjust for it to impact them personally in the independent lives they are building for themselves," explains one royal commentator.

"Their daughters are most unfortunate victims, they've had to endure quietly and have been composed in their silence," states another monarchy writer.

Final Impact

Ultimately, there appears to be minimal uncertainty that the individual who will be most impacted by all of this will be Prince Andrew himself.

For someone who always liked the trappings of royalty, the ceremony and the ceremony, the loss of his titles is deeply humiliating.

Therefore lacking those, on a personal level, will significantly count.

Diamond Robbins
Diamond Robbins

Music journalist and critic with a passion for discovering emerging talents and sharing insightful perspectives on the industry.