What the Duke's Removal of Titles Signifies for Fergie, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie
The Duke's exit from the final remnants of monarchical duties has not only altered his path - it's sending ripples through his immediate relatives too.
Fergie's Title Change
His ex-wife has now surrendered her ducal status and will now be referred to as Sarah Ferguson.
For Ferguson, sixty-six, the transition will be the most visible.
For all these years, she has kept the courtesy royal divorcee title Sarah, Duchess of York. Currently, she returns to her birth name of Ferguson.
"She has lost a bit of cachet over this," noted one royal commentator. "She certainly does use the title β even her social media profile is @TheDuchessSarah."
But the relinquishment of her status may affect her much less than the controversy she's facing separately about her own connections to the convicted financier.
Recently, several charities removed her as ambassador after an email from over a decade ago showed that she referred to Epstein her "supreme friend" and appeared to express regret for her negative comments of him.
Business Ventures and Charity Work
Separate from her philanthropy, Ferguson also has multiple commercial enterprises.
And these ventures, are more likely to be affected by the Epstein scandal than any change in title, says one monarchy analyst.
But Ferguson has been a great survivor in royal circles. She has continued recovering strongly.
"She is the ultimate survivor and expert at transforming," said one monarchy writer.
The Princesses
For Andrew and Sarah's two daughters, Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, there's no formal change.
They continue to be known as royal princesses, which they have been entitled to since birth.
There is also no modification to the line of succession.
The prince stays eighth in line to the throne, succeeded by his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, in ninth and twelfth place respectively.
But in reality their positions are "low down" and will likely become much further down as years pass.
Coming Opportunities
Beatrice and Eugenie are also currently non-official royals, and while they occasionally accept positions β The younger princess was recently named as a advisor for the monarch's charity program β commentators also suggest they "can't see a world" in which they would advance into official responsibilities.
"As far as Beatrice and Eugenie are concerned, 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 royal commentator.
"Their daughters are most unfortunate victims, they've had to endure quietly and have been composed in their reserve," adds another monarchy writer.
Ultimate Consequences
Ultimately, there appears to be little doubt that the person who will be most impacted by all of this will be the Duke himself.
For someone who consistently enjoyed the royal privileges, the pomp and the ceremony, the relinquishment of his honors is profoundly embarrassing.
Therefore lacking these, on a personal level, will significantly count.