🔗 Share this article

The Duke's removal from the last vestiges of monarchical duties has not only reshaped his future - it's creating waves through his family too.

Fergie's Title Change

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

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

Throughout this period, she has maintained the honorary royal divorcee title Sarah, York Duchess. Currently, she returns to her maiden name of Ferguson.

"She will have lost a bit of cachet over this," noted one monarchy expert. "She definitely does use the title – including her social media profile is @SarahTheDuchess."

But the loss of her title may affect her much less than the controversy she's dealing with independently about her own links with the convicted financier.

Recently, multiple organizations removed her as patron after an email from 2011 revealed that she called Epstein her "greatest ally" and appeared to express regret 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 probable to be affected by the Epstein controversy than any alteration in status, says one royal commentator.

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

"She is the supreme perseverer and master of reinvention," commented one royal author.

The Daughters

For the couple's two daughters, Beatrice, thirty-seven, and Eugenie, 35, there's no formal change.

They continue to be referred to as princesses, which they have been granted since birth.

Additionally there is no modification to the line of succession.

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

But in reality their positions are "low down" and will likely become much further down as time goes on.

Future Prospects

Beatrice and Eugenie are also currently non-working royals, and while they occasionally take on roles – Princess Eugenie was recently announced as a mentor for the King's Foundation network – commentators also suggest they "can't see a scenario" in which they would step up into official responsibilities.

"As far as Beatrice and Eugenie go, I think there's an appreciation of the reality that this controversy isn't about them, and it's not fair for it to impact them directly in the separate paths they are building for themselves," explains one royal commentator.

"Their daughters are most unfortunate victims, they've had to suffer in silence and have been composed in their silence," states another royal author.

Ultimate Consequences

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

For someone who consistently enjoyed the royal privileges, the pomp and the ceremony, the loss of his titles is deeply humiliating.

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