What the Duke's Titles Loss Signifies for Sarah Ferguson, Princess Beatrice and Eugenie

York Family Members

The Duke's exit from the last vestiges of royal life has not only reshaped his future - it's sending ripples through his family too.

Sarah Ferguson's New Status

The former spouse has now lost her duchess title and will now be referred to as Sarah Ferguson.

For Sarah, sixty-six, the transition will be the most visible.

Throughout this period, she has maintained the honorary royal post-marital designation 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 – including her Twitter bio is @TheDuchessSarah."

But the loss of her title may impact her much less than the scandal she's facing separately about her own links with the convicted financier.

Last month, multiple organizations removed her as patron after an email from 2011 showed that she called Epstein her "greatest ally" and seemed to apologise for her negative comments of him.

Business Ventures and Charity Work

Separate from her charitable activities, Ferguson also has multiple commercial enterprises.

And these, too, are more likely to be impacted by the Epstein scandal 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 supreme perseverer and expert at transforming," commented one royal author.

The Princesses

Princess Eugenie at event
Princess Eugenie and Princess Eugenie pictured at a Coronation Big Lunch in 2023

For the couple's two daughters, Beatrice, thirty-seven, and Eugenie, 35, there's no official alteration.

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

There is also no change to the royal succession order.

Andrew remains eighth position to the throne, succeeded by his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, in ninth and twelfth place respectively.

But in practice their positions are "low down" and will probably become even more remote as time goes on.

Coming Opportunities

Beatrice and Eugenie are also presently non-working royals, and while they do sometimes take on roles – The younger princess was recently announced as a advisor for the King's Foundation network – commentators also suggest they "don't envision a world" in which they would step up into royal duties.

"As far as Beatrice and Eugenie are concerned, I think there's an appreciation of the fact that this scandal doesn't involve them, and it's not fair for it to impact them personally in the separate paths they are building for themselves," says one royal commentator.

"Their daughters are particularly unlucky victims, they've had to suffer in silence and have been composed in their silence," states another monarchy writer.

Final Impact

In the end, there appears to be minimal uncertainty that the person who will be most affected by these developments will be the Duke himself.

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

Therefore lacking these, on a personal level, will significantly count.

Paul Bass
Paul Bass

A passionate gamer and tech enthusiast with over a decade of experience in game journalism and content creation.