🔗 Share this article

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

Sarah Ferguson's New Status

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

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

Throughout this period, she has kept the courtesy royal post-marital designation Sarah, Duchess of York. Currently, she returns to her birth name of Ferguson.

"She will have lost a bit of cachet over this," noted one monarchy expert. "She definitely does use the title – even her Twitter bio is @SarahTheDuchess."

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

Recently, multiple organizations dropped her as patron after an email from 2011 revealed that she referred to Epstein her "greatest ally" and appeared to express regret for her negative comments of him.

Business Ventures and Philanthropy

Separate from her philanthropy, Ferguson also has various business ventures.

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

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

"She's the supreme perseverer and master of reinvention," said one royal author.

The Daughters

For Andrew and Sarah's two daughters, Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, there's no official alteration.

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

Additionally there is no modification to the line of succession.

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

But in reality their positions are "distant" and will probably become much further down as years pass.

Future Prospects

Beatrice and Eugenie are also currently non-working royals, and while they occasionally accept positions – The younger princess was recently named as a mentor for the monarch's charity network – experts also suggest they "can't see a world" in which they would step up into official responsibilities.

"As far as Beatrice and Eugenie go, I think there's an understanding of the reality that this controversy isn't about them, and it's unjust for it to impact them personally in the separate paths they are building for themselves," says one monarchy analyst.

"The princesses are most unfortunate victims, they've had to suffer in silence and have been composed in their reserve," adds another monarchy writer.

Ultimate Consequences

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

For a man who consistently enjoyed the royal privileges, the pomp and the pageantry, the relinquishment of his honors is deeply humiliating.

So to not have those, on a personal level, will significantly count.