What the Duke's Titles Loss Signifies for Fergie, Beatrice and Eugenie

York Family Figures

Prince Andrew's removal from the last vestiges of royal life 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 divorcee title Sarah, Duchess of York. Now, she returns to her birth name of Ferguson.

"She has lost a certain prestige over this," noted one royal commentator. "She certainly 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 facing separately about her own links with the convicted financier.

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

Business Ventures and Philanthropy

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

And these, too, are more probable to be affected by the Epstein controversy than any change in title, notes one royal commentator.

But Ferguson has been a great survivor in monarchical networks. She's kept recovering strongly.

"She is the supreme perseverer and expert at transforming," said one monarchy writer.

The Daughters

Princess Beatrice during occasion
Princess Eugenie and Princess Eugenie pictured at a Coronation Big Lunch in 2023

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

They will still be known as princesses, which they have been entitled to since birth.

Additionally there is no change to the royal succession order.

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

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

Future Prospects

The princesses are also presently non-working royals, and while they do sometimes take on roles – Princess Eugenie was recently named as a mentor for the King's Foundation program – commentators also say they "don't envision a scenario" in which they would step up into official responsibilities.

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

"Their daughters are particularly unlucky affected parties, they've had to suffer in silence and have been composed in their silence," adds another royal author.

Final Impact

In the end, there appears to be minimal uncertainty that the person who will be most impacted by all of this will be the Duke himself.

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

So to not have these, on a individual basis, will significantly count.

David Solis
David Solis

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