What Prince Andrew's Removal of Titles Means for Fergie, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie
Prince Andrew's removal from the last vestiges of monarchical duties has not only altered his path - 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, 66, the transition will be the most visible.
For all these years, she has maintained the honorary royal post-marital designation Sarah, York Duchess. Now, she reverts to her maiden name of Ferguson.
"She has lost a certain prestige over this," noted one royal commentator. "She definitely utilizes the title – even her social media profile is @SarahTheDuchess."
But the relinquishment of her status may affect her much less than the controversy she's dealing with independently about her own links with the convicted financier.
Recently, several charities dropped her as ambassador after an email from over a decade ago showed that she referred to Epstein her "greatest ally" and appeared to express regret for her negative comments of him.
Business Ventures and Charity Work
Away from her philanthropy, Ferguson also has various business ventures.
And these ventures, are more probable to be affected by the Epstein controversy than any alteration in status, says one royal commentator.
But Ferguson has been a great survivor in monarchical networks. She has continued recovering strongly.
"She is the ultimate survivor and master of reinvention," said one monarchy writer.
The Daughters
For the couple's two daughters, Beatrice, thirty-seven, and Eugenie, 35, there's no official alteration.
They will still be referred to as royal princesses, which they have been granted since their birth.
There is also no modification to the line of succession.
The prince stays eighth in line to the crown, succeeded by his children Beatrice and Eugenie, in ninth and twelfth position in that order.
But in practice their standing 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 do sometimes take on roles – Princess Eugenie was recently named as a advisor for the monarch's charity program – experts also say 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 reality that this controversy isn't about them, and it's unjust for it to impact them directly in the separate paths they are building for themselves," explains one royal commentator.
"The princesses are particularly unlucky victims, they've had to endure quietly and have been composed in their reserve," states another monarchy writer.
Final Impact
In the end, there appears to be little doubt that the individual 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 pomp and the pageantry, the relinquishment of his honors is deeply humiliating.
So to not have these, on a individual basis, will really matter.