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

Royal Family Figures

The Duke's removal from the last vestiges of royal life has not only altered his path - it's sending ripples through his immediate relatives too.

Fergie's New Status

His ex-wife has now surrendered her ducal status and will now be referred to as Sarah Ferguson.

For Sarah, sixty-six, the change will be the most visible.

For all these years, she has kept the courtesy royal divorcee title Sarah, Duchess of York. Currently, she returns to her birth name of Ferguson.

"She will have lost a bit of cachet over this," said one royal commentator. "She certainly does use the title – even her Twitter bio is @SarahTheDuchess."

But the relinquishment of her status may impact her much less than the scandal she's dealing with independently about her own links with Jeffrey Epstein.

Last month, several charities removed her as patron after an email from 2011 showed that she referred to Epstein her "greatest ally" and seemed to apologise for her negative comments of him.

Business Ventures and Charity Work

Away from her charitable activities, Ferguson also has multiple commercial enterprises.

And these, too, are more likely to be impacted by the Epstein scandal than any change in title, notes one monarchy analyst.

But Ferguson has been a great survivor in monarchical networks. She has continued recovering strongly.

"She is the ultimate survivor and expert at transforming," said one monarchy writer.

The Daughters

Princess Beatrice during occasion
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie seen at a Coronation Big Lunch in last year

For Andrew and Sarah's offspring, Beatrice, thirty-seven, and Eugenie, 35, there's no formal change.

They will still be referred to as royal princesses, which they have been granted since their birth.

There is also no change to the line of succession.

The prince stays eighth position to the crown, followed by his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, in ninth and twelfth position in that order.

But in practice their standing are "low down" and will probably become even more remote as years pass.

Coming Opportunities

Beatrice and Eugenie are also currently non-official royals, and while they do sometimes take on roles – The younger princess was recently announced as a mentor for the monarch's charity program – experts also suggest they "don't envision a world" in which they would advance into official responsibilities.

"As far as Beatrice and Eugenie are concerned, I think there's an understanding of the reality that this scandal isn't about them, and it's not fair for it to affect them personally in the separate paths they are building for themselves," says one monarchy analyst.

"Their daughters are particularly unlucky affected parties, they've had to endure quietly and have been dignified in their reserve," adds another royal author.

Ultimate Consequences

In the end, there appears to be little doubt that the person who will be most affected by these developments will be the Duke himself.

For someone who always liked the royal privileges, the ceremony and the ceremony, the loss of his titles is profoundly embarrassing.

Therefore lacking these, on a personal level, will really matter.

David Gonzalez
David Gonzalez

Travel enthusiast and hospitality expert with a passion for exploring luxury destinations and sharing insider tips.