How the Duke's Removal of Titles Means for Fergie, Princess Beatrice and Eugenie
The Duke's removal from the final remnants of royal life has not only altered his path - it's creating waves through his immediate relatives too.
Fergie's Title Change
The former spouse has now surrendered her ducal status and will now be referred to as Sarah Ferguson.
For Ferguson, sixty-six, the change will be the most visible.
For all these years, she has maintained the honorary royal post-marital designation Sarah, Duchess of York. Now, she reverts to her maiden name of Ferguson.
"She will have lost a bit of cachet over this," noted one monarchy expert. "She definitely does use the title – including her social media profile is @TheDuchessSarah."
But the loss of her title may affect her much less than the scandal she's facing separately about her own links with Jeffrey Epstein.
Last month, multiple organizations dropped her as patron after correspondence from 2011 revealed that she called Epstein her "supreme friend" and seemed to apologise for her negative comments of him.
Professional Endeavors and Charity Work
Separate from her charitable activities, Ferguson also has various business ventures.
And these, too, are more likely to be impacted by the Epstein controversy than any alteration in status, notes one monarchy analyst.
But Ferguson has been a remarkable endure in monarchical networks. She's kept bouncing back.
"She is the ultimate survivor and master of reinvention," commented one monarchy writer.
The Princesses
For Andrew and Sarah'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 granted since birth.
Additionally there is no change to the royal succession order.
The prince stays eighth position to the crown, followed by his children Beatrice and Eugenie, in ninth and twelfth place respectively.
But in practice their positions are "distant" and will likely become much further down as years pass.
Coming Opportunities
Beatrice and Eugenie are also presently non-official royals, and while they do sometimes accept positions – Princess Eugenie was recently named as a mentor for the monarch's charity program – experts also say they "don't envision a world" in which they would advance into royal duties.
"As far as Beatrice and Eugenie are concerned, 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 separate paths they are building for themselves," says one royal commentator.
"The princesses are most unfortunate victims, they've had to endure quietly and have been dignified 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 these developments will be the Duke himself.
For someone who always liked the royal privileges, the pomp and the ceremony, the relinquishment of his honors is profoundly embarrassing.
So to not have these, on a personal level, will significantly count.