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

The Duke's removal from the final remnants of monarchical duties has not only altered his path - it's sending ripples through his family too.

Sarah Ferguson's Title Change

The former spouse has now surrendered her ducal status and will now be referred to as Sarah Ferguson.

For Ferguson, 66, the transition will be the most apparent.

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

"She has lost a certain prestige over this," said one royal commentator. "She definitely utilizes the title – even her social media profile is @SarahTheDuchess."

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

Recently, multiple organizations removed her as patron after correspondence from over a decade ago revealed that she referred to Epstein her "greatest ally" and seemed to apologise for her negative comments of him.

Business Ventures and Charity Work

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

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

But Ferguson has been a remarkable endure in monarchical networks. She has continued bouncing back.

"She is the ultimate survivor and master of reinvention," commented one royal author.

The Daughters

For the couple's offspring, Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, there's no official alteration.

They continue to be known as royal princesses, which they have been granted since their birth.

Additionally there is no modification to the royal succession order.

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

But in reality their standing are "distant" and will likely become even more remote as time goes on.

Future Prospects

The princesses are also presently non-official royals, and while they do sometimes accept positions – Princess Eugenie was recently announced as a advisor for the monarch's charity program – experts also suggest they "don't envision a scenario" in which they would advance into official responsibilities.

"As far as Beatrice and Eugenie go, I think there's an understanding of the fact that this scandal isn't about them, and it's not fair for it to impact them directly in the independent lives they are carving out for themselves," says one monarchy analyst.

"Their daughters are particularly unlucky affected parties, they've had to suffer in silence and have been dignified in their silence," states another monarchy writer.

Ultimate Consequences

In the end, there seems to be little doubt that the individual who will be most affected 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 these, on a personal level, will really matter.