What the Duke's Removal of Titles Signifies for Sarah Ferguson, Beatrice and Princess Eugenie

Royal Family Members

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

Sarah Ferguson's New Status

The former spouse has now lost her duchess title and will simply be known as Sarah Ferguson.

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

For all these years, she has kept the courtesy royal post-marital designation Sarah, York Duchess. Now, she returns to her birth name of Ferguson.

"She has lost a bit of cachet over this," said 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 links with Jeffrey Epstein.

Recently, multiple organizations dropped her as patron after correspondence from 2011 showed that she called Epstein her "supreme friend" and seemed to apologise for her public criticism of him.

Business Ventures and Philanthropy

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

And these ventures, are more likely to be impacted by the Epstein controversy than any change in title, says one royal commentator.

But Ferguson has been a remarkable endure in royal circles. She has continued recovering strongly.

"She's the ultimate survivor and expert at transforming," commented one monarchy writer.

The Daughters

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

For Andrew and Sarah's two daughters, Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, thirty-five, there's no official alteration.

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

There is also no change to the line of succession.

Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne, succeeded by his children Beatrice and Eugenie, in ninth and twelfth place respectively.

But in reality their standing are "low down" and will likely become much further down as years pass.

Future Prospects

Beatrice and Eugenie are also presently non-working royals, and while they occasionally take on roles – Princess Eugenie was recently announced as a mentor for the monarch's charity program – commentators also say 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 fact that this scandal doesn't involve them, and it's unjust for it to impact them directly in the separate paths they are carving out for themselves," says one monarchy analyst.

"The princesses are particularly unlucky victims, they've had to endure quietly and have been dignified in their reserve," states another royal author.

Ultimate Consequences

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

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

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

Ashley Simmons
Ashley Simmons

Certified personal trainer and nutritionist with over 10 years of experience, passionate about helping others transform their lives through fitness.