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

Royal Family Figures

Prince Andrew's exit from the final remnants of royal life has not only altered his path - it's creating waves through his immediate relatives too.

Sarah Ferguson's New Status

His ex-wife has now surrendered her ducal status and will simply be known as Sarah Ferguson.

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

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

"She will have lost a certain prestige over this," said one monarchy expert. "She definitely does use the title – even her Twitter bio is @TheDuchessSarah."

But the relinquishment of her status may affect her much less than the scandal she's dealing with independently about her own connections to Jeffrey Epstein.

Recently, multiple organizations removed her as patron after correspondence from over a decade ago showed that she called Epstein her "greatest ally" 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 probable to be affected by the Epstein scandal than any alteration in status, says one royal commentator.

But Ferguson has been a remarkable endure in monarchical networks. She has continued recovering strongly.

"She's the ultimate survivor and master of reinvention," said one royal author.

The Daughters

Princess Beatrice at event
Princess Beatrice and Princess Beatrice seen at a royal celebration in 2023

For the couple's two daughters, Beatrice, thirty-seven, and Eugenie, thirty-five, there's no official alteration.

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

Additionally there is no modification to the royal succession order.

The prince stays eighth in line to the crown, followed by his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, in ninth and twelfth position respectively.

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

Coming Opportunities

The princesses are also currently non-working royals, and while they occasionally take on roles – Princess Eugenie was recently announced as a advisor for the King's Foundation program – experts also suggest they "can't see a scenario" in which they would advance into royal duties.

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

"The princesses are most unfortunate affected parties, they've had to endure quietly and have been composed in their silence," adds another monarchy writer.

Ultimate Consequences

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

For someone who always liked the trappings of royalty, the pomp and the ceremony, the relinquishment of his honors is deeply humiliating.

Therefore lacking those, on a individual basis, will really matter.

Jesse Jones
Jesse Jones

A writer and folklorist with a passion for reimagining dark fairy tales and exploring the shadows of classic stories.