🔗 Share this article

The Duke's exit from the final remnants of monarchical duties has not only reshaped his future - it's sending ripples through his immediate relatives too.

Fergie's New Status

His ex-wife has now lost her duchess title and will now be referred to as Sarah Ferguson.

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

Throughout this period, she has maintained the honorary royal post-marital designation Sarah, York Duchess. Currently, she returns 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 – including her Twitter bio is @TheDuchessSarah."

But the loss of her title may impact her much less than the controversy she's dealing with independently about her own connections to Jeffrey Epstein.

Last month, several charities dropped her as ambassador after correspondence from over a decade ago showed that she called Epstein her "supreme friend" and seemed to apologise for her public criticism of him.

Business Ventures and Charity Work

Away from her philanthropy, Ferguson also has multiple commercial enterprises.

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

But Ferguson has been a great survivor in royal circles. She has continued bouncing back.

"She's the supreme perseverer and expert at transforming," commented one monarchy writer.

The Daughters

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

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

Additionally there is no change to the royal succession order.

Andrew remains eighth position to the throne, 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-working royals, and while they do sometimes accept positions – Princess Eugenie was recently announced as a advisor for the King's Foundation program – experts also suggest they "don't envision a scenario" in which they would advance into royal duties.

"Regarding Beatrice and Eugenie go, I think there's an understanding of the fact that this controversy isn't about them, and it's unjust for it to impact them personally in the separate paths they are carving out for themselves," explains one monarchy analyst.

"Their daughters are most unfortunate victims, they've had to endure quietly and have been dignified in their silence," adds another royal author.

Ultimate Consequences

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

For a man who consistently enjoyed the trappings of royalty, the ceremony and the pageantry, the loss of his titles is deeply humiliating.

So to not have those, on a individual basis, will really matter.