How Prince Andrew's Titles Loss Means for Fergie, Princess Beatrice and Eugenie

York Family Members

The Duke's removal from the final remnants of royal life has not only altered his path - it's sending ripples through his immediate relatives too.

Sarah Ferguson's Title Change

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

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

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

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

But the relinquishment of her status may impact her much less than the controversy she's facing separately about her own connections to Jeffrey Epstein.

Last month, several charities dropped her as patron after correspondence from 2011 revealed that she referred to Epstein her "supreme friend" and seemed to apologise for her negative comments of him.

Business Ventures and Charity Work

Away from her charitable activities, 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 monarchy analyst.

But Ferguson has been a great survivor in royal circles. She's kept bouncing back.

"She's the ultimate survivor and expert at transforming," commented one royal author.

The Princesses

Princess Eugenie during occasion
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie 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 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 position to the throne, succeeded by his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, in ninth and twelfth position in that order.

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

Coming Opportunities

The princesses are also currently non-working royals, and while they occasionally take on roles – The younger princess was recently announced as a mentor for the monarch's charity network – commentators also suggest they "can't see a world" in which they would step up into royal duties.

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

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

Ultimate Consequences

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

For a man who consistently enjoyed the trappings of royalty, the ceremony and the ceremony, the loss of his titles is deeply humiliating.

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

Scott Baldwin
Scott Baldwin

An avid mountaineer and outdoor enthusiast with over a decade of experience in adventure travel and gear testing.